#things that make sense when she was paired with dion in my art

[violixir]

drawing frazie in something more akin to canon like. grabbing my own wrist and pulling myself away from the twin braids and purple eyes

[redrabbitspod]

READ OUR INTERVIEW WITH ROLLING STONE HERE:

(full, designed article. But if you don’t want to follow a magazine layout, read the transcript. Art by @bloodydamnit)

TRANSCRIPT BELOW THE CUT

Red Rabbits: The Rolling Stone Interview

Featuring Andrew Minyard, Neil Josten, and the Red Rabbits Team

By Angie Rodner

On a chilly Monday, Neil Josten and Andrew Minyard are standing side by side, looking at something on Andrew’s phone in our New York, Rolling Stone headquarters. The rest of the Red Rabbits team, consisting of Dan Wilds, Seth Gordon, Renee Walker, Robin Cross, Allison Reynolds, and pro Exy legend/honorable mention Matt Boyd, orbit around them. It's an interesting scene to take in, to say the least. No matter what they seem to be talking about, they all defer to the two hosts without any of them seeming to acknowledge it. 

I was lucky enough to sit down with all eight of them, and I’m not ashamed to say I’m a fan of the podcast and I’ve followed since Season 1. The story of Andrew and Neil (formerly known as Nathaniel Wesnisnki, the son of the Nathan Wesninski or the Butcher of Baltimore), and the revelation of their connection they’d shared as kids, was better than any true crime podcast I’d ever listened to. 

Now, the team takes on what they’ve dubbed ‘The Case of the Newark 9’ for their second season. It’s a case based around the hunt for a man known only as ‘Steven’, who they believe is responsible for a series of kidnappings and murders of young girls in and around the Newark area. They’re joined by Robin Cross, a victim and survivor of Steven’s, who is helping them investigate the case. 

I sat down with Robin and the other women of Red Rabbits first. 

What’s it been like to work on this podcast together? Was it strange to go from looking for Neil, to having him in the studio, to watching him and Andrew form the relationship they have?

Dan: It was strange, because in all honesty, it wasn’t strange. Does that make sense? None of us knew about the meeting they had as kids, but when Andrew finally told us, everything made a lot more sense. Really, they belong together. It was much weirder when they first got back and hadn’t acknowledged what was between them yet. We were all just kinda like... are y’all not seeing what we’re seeing?

Renee: They got there eventually.

How have things changed from Season 1 to Season 2? The cases are obviously different, but they still involve missing children. What’s the atmosphere like around the studio?

Dan: Tense.

Allison: I’m not even there that often and I can still feel it.

Robin: It is tense, but there’s also a sense of urgency. We know ‘Steven’ has another girl now, so it’s like every day that goes by is another day he has her... Another day we either find him, or we don’t.  

Mm... I can’t imagine how difficult that is. However, with that being said, the NYPD have made it pretty clear that they aren’t buying what you guys are selling. How does that make you feel?

Robin: I don’t feel anything about the NYPD. My anger is better placed elsewhere. I am angry. But the police didn’t listen to me when I was a kid and trying to tell them important information. Why would they listen to me now?

Renee: I think we all try and take our cues from Robin. Andrew and Neil are very careful to include her and get her opinion on certain things before moving forward. We’re not letting this thing with the NYPD deter us. 

Speaking of Robin then, what’s it like for you to have her on the team? As one of Steven’s victims that is, there with you in the studio?

Robin: Oh no. Say nice things about me.

Dan: Girl. [ laughs ] Honestly, she’s amazing. She’s my little sister and I’m not just saying that. I think we all kind of feel that way. I’ve never known a person as strong and determined as she is and I know - see she’s blushing! [ laughs again ]- I know she hates it when we talk about her like this, but it’s so true. She’s family now.

Renee: She is, and I think she brings a really unique perspective to the case. We have someone here who’s directly involved, who lived through it and can give us some idea of what the other girls went through. I think most people would really love to have that kind of resource during an investigation.

Allison: For sure. She’s even my muse for my fall line. Everything is going to be deep colors and fun modesty.

Seems like you’ve been properly inducted into the team, Robin.

Robin: [ smiling ] It feels amazing...

Now, last question. Are you confident you’ll find what you’re looking for?

All as one: Yes.

Speaking with the ladies was fun. They were easy and connected and you can tell that there was a real sisterhood in the studio that day. It was refreshing to see women supporting and helping each other thrive in such a competitive industry. There was a lot of laughter between them, and it was such a joy to be able to share it with them. 

-

My next interviewees were Seth Gordon, ‘resident TFN sound engineer/IT guy/anything to do with technology’, as he tells it, and New York Lynxes starting backliner, Matt Boyd. When I tell you I laughed throughout this entire interview, I’m being completely sincere. There was something about the way the two bounced off each other that had me smiling and understanding why they are both so well-liked. 

You guys are best friends aren’t you? I feel a bromance in this Chilli’s tonight.

Seth: Bet. Matt Boyd is my homie and BFFL. Do people still say that? Anyway, we have matching necklaces and everything.

Do you really?

Matt: No, not really, but I’d totally wear one if he gave it to me.

[ laughing ] Matt, how did you even end up here? I know you were friends with Neil, but I feel like the details on that are kind of murky.

Matt: I hit him with my truck. [ My jaw dropped ] No, really! I hit him with my truck in Midtown Manhattan when I was driving home. He refused to go to the hospital so I brought him back to my place to make sure he was okay. He didn’t leave after that.

Seth: Because you held him hostage? That’s the way I hear it.

Matt: Oh yeah, for sure. He takes up so little space, why not? [ laughs again ] No really, I did convince him to stay, but I just felt like he needed a friend. He was obviously running from something and he was scared. I just didn’t know from what or why at the time.

And when you found out?

Matt: Honestly? I just about shit myself, but it made so much sense. All the little questions I asked myself early on, finally had answers. 

I saw the interview you and Dan did with Essence. You guys look amazing together.

Seth: They are amazing together. It’s gross. 

Matt: Yeah, and you and Dion aren’t constantly fawning all over each other.

Is that Dion hovering nearby?

Seth: Yep, that’s my man. He’s amazing and fuckin’ fine as hell. Can I say fuck in this interview?

Sure.

Seth: He’s fuckin’ fine.

Seth, what’s it been like for you, putting together the shows? There’s been a lot of audio that’s hard for us as listeners to hear, and I’m sure there’s more we haven’t even heard. 

Seth: There is.

What’s that like for you to have to go through it all?

Seth: Really hard sometimes. There was some stuff in Season 1 we didn’t air that seriously gave me nightmares. It’s worth it, though. We found Neil and I think we’ll find Steven.

Are both of you confident in that fact?

Seth: Positive.

Matt: I think if anyone can find him, it’s Andrew and Neil. They’re determined and they’ll keep looking no matter what.

I believe them. 

Andrew and Neil were my last interview of the day, and a more determined pair I think I’ve ever met. 

Here’s the thing readers: They’re connected. It might make me a poor journalist, but I don’t know how else to explain it. At one point during the interview, Neil reached over to squeeze Andrew’s arm. At another point, Andrew reached over to squeeze the back of Neil’s neck. They were obviously a comfort to and for each other, and it almost seemed like they borrowed strength. It was intense and being able to witness it has been one of my favorite moments in my career.

So, let’s talk about this season before we get into everything else. You’re looking for a man you believe to be responsible for the disappearances of multiple girls in the Newark area. Do you feel like you’re any closer to solving the mystery than you were at the beginning?

Neil: Absolutely. We’ve gotten some really great tips and we think we’ve narrowed some things down. We don’t want to get too deep into what we’ve got at the moment, because we’re still investigating. But we’re confident in what we have.

What’s it been like working with Robin? I was able to interview her earlier, and she’s really something.

Andrew: She’s been the best resource we have. She’s incredibly strong and unbelievably quick. She’s taken this terrible thing that happened to her and turned it into fire, and it’s been amazing to watch. Most of the information we have comes from her.

The interview you guys did with her was absolutely chilling. I cried three times listening to it. How do you handle hearing these things? I feel like it’d be really hard not to take it home with you.

Neil: Yeah. It’s hard sometimes.

Andrew, I want to touch on the interview Riko Moriyama just did with Kathy Ferdinand and your response. What was that like for you, hearing Riko wrongfully expose something like that on live television?

Andrew: It was… I was stunned, I guess. That information was supposed to be sealed. My name was redacted. So I have no idea how he even got details of the case.

You’ve talked before about being in the foster care system. It sounds like you had a pretty rocky childhood.

Andrew: Yes.

Neil, I know yours was no picnic either. Do you think that this kind of... shared trauma, I guess, is part of why you two work so well together?

Neil: Yeah, partly. When we met as kids, I think a bond was cemented. We both knew how horrible adults could be to children. But now that we’re older, I think more than a shared trauma, it’s a mutual respect for that trauma. We both have shit, you know? I told Matt this one time and I didn’t really understand how true it was until recently, but we both have baggage that we share. We take each other’s on to lighten the load for the other. But, there are times when it gets really fucking heavy, and I think recently we’ve figured out that it’s better to lean on each other when that happens, instead of trying to carry it all ourselves.

Why do you think Riko felt the need to call you two out like he did? I know he mentioned Neil possibly being manipulated into the relationship.

Neil: [laughs]

Andrew: I wish I could manipulate him into having better taste in music.

Neil: My taste in music is fine. 

Andrew: It is absolutely not. And I don’t know why Riko feels the need to comment. I’d be interested to hear the reason. The things he said regarding Neil were ridiculous, and in his response, Neil has made sure to make that known. But the thing that really bothered me was his comments on mental health. He tried to basically call me unstable for seeking therapy and admitting that there came a point when I needed outside help. There are literally hundreds of thousands of people in this country who seek out therapy every year. There’s no shame in it and I’m unsure as to why Riko believes there is. Honestly, I’m shocked the Moriyamas haven’t released a statement. He’s their mouthpiece, after all.

Do you think they should apologize?

Neil: Yes.

Andrew: I think they should at least clarify. I’ve already heard people are planning to protest their new documentary and I don’t blame them. I wouldn’t want to give my money to people who think I’m less of a person because I struggle sometimes.

Speaking of struggle, let’s move back to the case. I know the NYPD has been giving you grief over your claims that the person you’re looking for is the same person that’s taken Haylie Clark. Robin, especially, seems completely certain. How does it feel to know law enforcement doesn’t have your back on this?

Andrew: Familiar. They’ve never had my back before, so why would they start now?

Neil: I’ve dealt with too many crooked cops to really take it seriously. I have no idea what their motivations are and to be clear, I’m not saying I think they’re crooked - I’m just saying that in my experience, the help doesn’t always come like it’s supposed to.

The rest of the team seems pretty confident in you two. They all said they absolutely believe you’ll be able to find him. Is it hard sometimes, not to lose faith?

Andrew: It’s hard all the time. But it doesn’t matter. We have to keep moving forward. We aren’t going to stop until he and Haylie are found. 

I think that’s really commendable and I look forward to seeing that happen. Now, tell me a bit about the team. Neil, since you came in at the end of Season 1, how did you find the dynamic as an outsider?

Neil: I didn’t really understand it in the beginning. Not really. It helped having Matt at my back for months prior, but I’ve never had the opportunity to make solid connections with people. So when I came into the studio, to this group of people who had known each other since college, it was overwhelming. 

Andrew: That’s funny, seeing as how they like you better than me.

Neil: It’s all the charm and charisma. 

[ laughing ] And now? You all seem really tight knit.

Neil: Now, yeah. We are. These people are my family.

Andrew?

Andrew: Yes?

Neil: She wants you to say something nice about the team.

Andrew: Every single one of them knows my coffee order, and it’s truly amazing that they can do what the interns cannot. [ he looks over at Neil, who’s tilting his head and raising his brows ] Oh, don’t look at me like that. Fine. We have a really strong team. I wouldn’t be able to do what I’m doing without them. Seth works harder than anyone I know, Dan keeps us all in line with just a look, Renee is the only reason I agreed to do this in the first place, Reynolds has a lot of money and she’s not afraid to use it for a cause she believes in, and Robin is the most inspiring person I’ve ever met.

And Matt?

Andrew: Who?

Neil: The guy that kept me alive for months while you were hunting me.

Andrew: [ rolls his eyes and shrugs ] He’s fine.

-

My take away from the interviews was this: these people will do whatever they need, in order to find their perpetrator. They believe in their cause, they hurt for these girls, and they’ll find justice for them in the end. They’re family, that much is clear, and I can’t wait to see how this ends. I can’t wait to say that I was there when it’s over.

Red Rabbits can be heard on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, and GooglePlay. You can follow the website at redrabbitspod.tumblr.com and twitter @redrabbitspod.

And as the Red Rabbits team always says, “Keep Searching”. I know I will.

[noroark]

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Legendary Genesis

Chapter One: The Bug Catcher

A human is reborn as a Pokémon. A Pokémon will be reborn as a god. Factions collide as they race to collect eighteen legendary treasures, threatening to further upset the balance of an already fractured world.

I began writing this fic during the summer of 2012, and over the next several years, I planned out the plot in extensive detail. My perfectionism prevented me from getting very far in the story itself, however. Late last year, I began what I hope will be my final rewrite before the fic is completed. If I want to get anything done, I need to stop letting my perceived inadequacy hold me back. Anyway, this new version might not be perfect, but I hope you like it!

This fanfiction is suitable for general audiences. It will not contain any strong language, graphic violence, or sexual content. There will be some disturbing themes later in the story, but there won’t be anything explicit.

AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13973847

In the soft light of morning, the Foreboding Bog hardly lived up to its name.

It was humid, and the smell of rotting vegetation lingered in the air. Gnarled mangroves towered over dark ferns and beds of reeds. Sunlight kissed the water, warding away the swamp gas that created illusions in the dark. Everything was calm and still; the Foreboding Bog was considered inhospitable by most, so few Pokémon dared to set foot in the dungeon.

One such exception was a young Carnivine by the name of Dion. Unlike the majority of Pokémon, Carnivine were adapted to thrive in vile wetlands. As such, Dion felt right at home in the Foreboding Bog. With a bag slung over his shoulder and his signature grin plastered across his face, Dion was oozing with confidence.

He hung by the entrance, appraising the dungeon thoughtfully. “I bet nobody's been to this place in centuries. It's gotta be loaded with treasure!” he said to himself. “When I return to the academy with a huge bag of loot, everyone will think twice before making fun of me.” Under his breath, he muttered, “Well, maybe not Cleo.”

Dion was the newest student at Arcanine's Academy, a school dedicated to the art of treasure hunting. School policy required each student to be paired with one or two partners, forming a “hunting team”. This allowed Headmaster Arcanine to create specialized lessons based on each team's individual strengths and weaknesses. Most of these lessons were hands-on, and they tended to involve navigating treacherous dungeons. At Arcanine's Academy, students were expected to encounter all sorts of perils and foes. If the headmaster was to be believed, that was how they learned best. Students were strictly forbidden from taking lessons alone, though. That was too dangerous.

Due to a recent slump in recruits, Dion had yet to be sorted into a hunting team. He bided his time running errands for Headmaster Arcanine, helping Chef Muk in the kitchen, and tidying up the academy with Chamberlain Claydol. Since Dion was clumsy and a tad dimwitted, he had a habit of messing up even the simplest of tasks. This provided the other students with endless entertainment.

Usually, it didn't bother Dion when they laughed. Only one student managed to get under his skin: Cleo, the leader of Team Masquerade. The catty Yamask had delighted in making his life miserable since his first day at the academy, and Dion didn't have the slightest idea why.

A particular incident involving her remained at the forefront of his mind.

“That Dion—he's such a useless oaf! He'll never make it as a treasure hunter. If he came along on one of our expeditions, he'd just slow us all down. Headmaster Arcanine, why don't you just have him expelled?”

The headmaster had laughed. “Lass, that's not your call,” he'd told her, his baritone voice raspy with age. “I let Dion enroll for a reason. He has potential, just like you do. Maybe someday you'll see what I mean.”

Cleo had proceeded to leave in a huff.

Dion mulled over the headmaster's words while fidgeting with his bag.Headmaster Arcanine said I have potential. I wonder what he meant by that. He knew he wouldn't find the answer while idling around the academy, which was why he had decided to take matters into his own hands.Today's the day I'm going to prove my potential to the academy… and maybe the world!

Dion entered the Foreboding Bog, using Levitate to float about a foot above the ground. He spotted a rickety old boardwalk and swooped down to investigate. Dion ran his hand along the grooves in the weathered wood, only to recoil in pain. A splinter had embedded itself in one of his leafy fingertips. Dion plucked it out, wincing. “Eee… this thing doesn't seem very safe.” He stared at the boardwalk while contemplating turning around. Once he had made up his mind, Dion rose into the air.

He froze.

“Oh, yeah,” he said, chuckling. “Never mind!” Dion whistled a cheery tune as he hovered along the boardwalk, keeping his eyes peeled for treasure. The only problem was that he didn't actually know what treasure looked like. He was sure he'd be able to recognize it if he found some, though.

Dion wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead. It was the height of morning, and the temperature had peaked as well. The humidity was becoming unbearable, even for a Carnivine. He shrugged it off and pressed on, refusing to bow to the heat.

Dion frowned when he reached the end of the boardwalk. The last few planks had broken off and fallen into the motionless water. “This can't be the end of the dungeon, can it?” He balled his fists. “No! A trick like this might keep some Pokémon away from the treasure, but it's not gonna work on me.” Smoothly, he boasted, “I can Levitate.” He tore into the depths of the Foreboding Bog, weaving between the mangroves and rustling the plants below.

Almost immediately, Dion caught a glimpse of something bright green. “Oh? What could this be?” Dion drooled in anticipation as he approached, savoring the moment. “Maybe it's a giant emerald! Wait, no. The headmaster said emeralds are dark green. It's gotta be… a peridot! Yeah, that sounds right. Either way… I'm gonna be rich!”

Dion brushed aside a curtain of leaves and recoiled at what he found.

The body of a Scyther lay belly-down in a pool of muck. Its torso was hidden beneath the water, but its abdomen was still visible; its size indicated it was female. The Scyther's head was resting on a pile of damp stones, and her face was contorted in a grimace. She had thrown one of her scimitar-shaped arms over the rocks; the other was underwater. Her wings were waterlogged. Her legs were sprawled in a strange position. Nearby, a muddy piece of purple cloth was sticking out of the water.

Dion jolted backwards and slithered up a tree in fright. He shielded his eyes with his broad, leafy hands, but curiosity compelled him to take another peek. “Golly!” he remarked in a whisper. “I wasn't expecting to find anyone out here, especially like this! Oh gosh, is she even alive?” Dion broke a stick off of the tree and prodded at her face. “Wake up! Please wake up!”

When the Scyther's eyes snapped open, Dion nearly tumbled out of the tree. To his surprise, she didn't look the least bit alarmed—in fact, she looked as though she had just woken up from a pleasant dream. She grunted something unintelligible before parting her jaws in a yawn.

Dion beamed in relief. “Oh, good!” he cried as he flung the stick into the water. “You're not dead!”

The Scyther flitted her eyelids a few times before quizzically narrowing her eyes. “What?” Her voice was soft and low-pitched, unlike Dion's.

“Up here!” Dion shouted. When the Scyther lifted her head, he gave her a friendly wave.

She regarded him for almost a full minute, dumbfounded. At last, she stuttered, “Y-you're… a Carnivine…”

Dion got down from the tree. “Yup! As a matter of fact I am.” He reached out to her. “Need a hand?”

The Scyther blinked some more. “Yeah, I guess that would be… uh, nice.” She jerked her arm and her scythe shot out of the water. In the throes of disorientation, her movements were stiff and erratic.

If Dion had been any closer to the ground, he would have gotten skewered. “Yikes! That was a close one!” he yelped, bunching his vine-like legs. “Heh… guess I didn't think that through. You really could use a hand or two, though. They're a lot less dangerous than scythes!” He let out a playful guffaw, hoping the other Pokémon would join in his laughter.

But the Scyther was silent. She was staring vacantly at her bladed arm, her expression unreadable.

“H-hey, it's okay! I'm fine! You didn't actually hurt me,” Dion insisted.

The Scyther swiveled her head around and looked him in the eye. “No. You don't understand,” she said with wooden intonation. “This isn't my arm.”

Dion's eyes were wide with horror. “Then… whose arm is it?”

The Scyther clambered to her feet, her legs wobbling beneath her. Seconds later, she toppled onto her back. “I'm dreaming,” she mused, lying in the mud. “Yes, that has to be it.”

“Dreaming?”

She smiled at Dion, catching him off guard. “Look,” she said. “I'm not even going to bother explaining this to you. This is probably never going to happen again, so I don't want to waste any time.” The Scyther shook her head, still smiling. “I… I can't believe it. I can't believe I'm actually having a lucid dream!” She cackled as she spread out her arms, carving shallow trenches in the dirt. “I'm a Scyther—a Pokémon! How crazy is that?”

Dion watched, baffled. “You're… not making any sense,” he said. He gestured at the pile of stones. “Maybe you hit your head on those rocks over there.”

The Scyther was on her knees now, slashing at the reeds. Without looking up from her work, she murmured, “Hmm… nah.”

“I think you should come with me to Origin Central. Maybe I'll be able to get you some help.”

“I'll gladly come if it means getting out of this swamp. For a dream, this place reeks.” She got up again, using her scythes for support. She took a big whiff of the air. “Huh, that's weird. I also smell something sweet. What is that? It's kind of nice, actually.”

Dion ignored her. “I don't know how to tell you this, but I really don't think this is a dream.” Just to be sure, he swept his hand across his face. It felt real to him.

“Don't be silly,” the Scyther chided. “There's no way this is real. That would be impossible.”

It had become clear to Dion that trying to convince the Scyther otherwise was futile, so he changed the subject. “Before we get going, can you tell me your name? Mine's Dion.”

“My name? My name is…” The Scyther wrinkled her nose. “What is my name? I… I don't remember!”

Dion nodded in silent understanding. “Is there anything you do remember?”

“Now that I think about it… no, not really. Like, I know I had friends and family, but I can't remember anything about them.” She shut her eyes tight. “This is freaking me out. I kind of want to wake up now.”

“But you do remember that you're not supposed to be a Scyther, or at least that's what you believe.” Dion rubbed his chin. “What are you supposed to be, then?”

“A human,” she replied casually.

“A human?” Dion gasped. “But… humans aren't real, are they? I thought they were make-believe!” Dion had heard plenty of stories about humans: strange, bipedal creatures that trapped Pokémon in special Wonder Orbs and forced them to battle each other.

“Touché.” The Scyther heaved a sigh. “None of this makes any sense, but… maybe you're right. Maybe this isn't a dream.”

Dion gave another somber nod.

The Scyther let her arms hang at her sides. “I guess this is it, then.” All of the joy had been sucked out of her voice. She almost sounded like a different Pokémon altogether.

Dion twiddled his thumbs. “Er… anyway, let's get going. I'll take you straight to Arcanine's Academy. If there's anyone who'll know what to do about this, it's Headmaster Arcanine. I'll show you the way.” He sailed forward, peering over his shoulder to make sure the Scyther was following. When he noticed she was struggling to keep up, he slowed down a little. “You know,” he said, “I thought Scyther were supposed to be super fast… so fast you can hardly see them!”

“I'm not a Scyther.”

“Oh. Right.” Dion was quiet for a moment. “That reminds me. Since you can't remember your name, is there anything in particular you'd like to be called?”

“Uh… Eileen. That was the first thing that popped into my head. Could it be my real name? No, that can't be right. Whatever. Just call me Eileen.”

“All righty! Eileen it is.” Dion thought about what he'd name himself if given the choice until he was interrupted by a loud splash. He whipped around. Eileen had fallen into the water and was fighting to stay afloat. Dion had only made it to this part of the Foreboding Bog with the help of Levitate—an ability not possessed by Scyther like Eileen.

“Gah!” Dion cried. “How deep is it? Can you swim?”

“Not like this!” Eileen snarled as her head went under. Seconds later, her snout emerged. She managed to spit out a mouthful of green water before disappearing once more. Dion gnawed on his fingertips as he waited for her to return. The only sign of the Scyther was a steady stream of tiny bubbles rising to the surface.

Dion flew around the watery chasm in a panicked circle. “What do I do? What do I do?” When he realized he was wasting precious time, he forced himself to calm down. “Think, Dion, think!” Thinking was not one of Dion's strong suits, so he scoured his surroundings for inspiration. Surely enough, he found it in a nearby mangrove that had been overtaken by vines. “That's it!” A pair of skinny tendrils extended from the base of his neck. “ Vine Whip!”

Carefully, Dion guided his vines into the water. He fished around until one of his vines got caught on a long, slender object. Dion breathed in relief and reeled it in, only to find it was the stick he had discarded earlier. “What? No way!” He tossed it aside, dipped his vines back into the water, and tried again.

This time, Dion grabbed onto something much heavier. It had to be Eileen! He tightened his vines around her upper arms and tugged with all his might, but he wasn't strong enough to lift her above the surface. Eileen gasped for breath as her head burst out of the water.

Dion looked her over. “Are you okay?”

“No,” Eileen croaked between coughs, retching. “Ugh. It tastes like something died in there.”

“Well, be glad it wasn't you!” Dion couldn't help but feel a bit peeved that Eileen hadn't bothered to thank him. “I'm sure you'll be fine.”

For several minutes, Eileen paddled in place while Dion held her up. Once Eileen had caught her breath, she demanded, “Now what?”

Dion gulped. There was something intimidating about her appearance, from her penetrative stare to her scythes that could slice a Pokémon into ribbons in the blink of an eye. It didn't help that Dion was weak to both of her types. He knew Eileen had no reason to hurt him—and even if she did, she probably wouldn't know how—but she made him nervous nonetheless.

“Er… there's a boardwalk somewhere around here. Now, where was it?” Dion hauled Eileen along behind him as he searched, and she was too exhausted to care that he was guiding her into all sorts of hidden boulders and logs. Her eyes were glazed with weariness, which made her look just a tiny bit less menacing.

“Ah-ha! There it is!” In his excitement, Dion dragged Eileen into one of the planks that had broken off of the boardwalk. The plank coasted into the shadows and disappeared.

With newly found energy, Eileen glared at him.

Dion averted his eyes. “Heh, whoops. S-sorry about that.”

Eileen turned away. She studied the boardwalk for a long time, idling in contemplation.

“Think you can do it?” Dion snapped. His patience was wearing thin.

Eileen stirred, shaken from her trance. “I'll… I'll try,” she said in a small voice. She dug her scythes into the boardwalk, leaving deep incisions in the wood. Shifting her weight onto her upper body, she struggled to push herself onto the platform. Dion strained himself as he tried to help pull her out. Despite their combined efforts, Eileen remained in the water.

“Phew.” Dion lowered his head in despair, his gaze landing on Eileen's wings. His head shot back up. “Hey, wait a minute!” he hollered, nearly letting go of her.

“What?”

“Eileen!” He slapped his tangled knees, wheezing with laughter. “What are we even doing? You have wings! You can fly!”

“I have wings?” she repeated. “I can… fly?”

“Of course! I can't believe it took so long for one of us to notice. What are you waiting for? Get up here!”

Eileen frowned. “I don't know how to fly.”

“It just sort of… happens, I guess. That's the way it is with Levitate, anyway. It's probably a lot different when you're using wings.” Dion loosened his grip. “I guess you'll just have to give it a whirl and see how it goes.”

Eileen drew a wary breath. “All right, then.” Her four wings vibrated in unison, spreading a shower of mist into the air. Spooked, she made her wings still. “That's so weird… it's not what I was expecting at all.”

“Keep at it!” Dion cheered. “Don't give up!”

Eileen gnashed her teeth. Her wings buzzed and she tore her blades out of the wood as she started gaining height. Eileen angled her body over the boardwalk and drifted forward a few feet; then, she let herself fall. She hit the wood with a thud. “Ow,” she hissed as she stood up. “I'm so heavy.”

“Tell me about it!”

Eileen flashed Dion a look that made him fear for his life.

Sweating, he said, “Haha, well… at least you're out of harm's way!”

“Am I?” Eileen said through clenched teeth. She picked up one of her feet and showed it to Dion. There was a large chunk of wood wedged in her sole.

“Yikes! I should have warned you about the splinters.”

Eileen reached for her foot, glowering. When she remembered she didn't have hands, she brought her scythes together and attempted to use them as tweezers. She lost her balance and fell onto her side, where she proceeded to writhe in frustration.

“Wow,” remarked Dion. “I never thought I'd meet a Pokémon as clumsy as me.”

Eileen stopped moving and looked up at Dion.

“You know,” he continued in a wistful tone, “I think the two of us would make a great team. We wouldn't slow each other down, that's for sure. Maybe we could even learn how to be less clumsy together.”

Eileen slammed the back of her head against the boardwalk, suppressing a scream.

“Oh!” cried Dion, shaken from his daydreams. “I should probably help you with that, shouldn't I?” He glided over to her, grabbed her leg, and pinched the splinter with his leafy fingers. Eileen grimaced as he yanked it out and flicked it into the water. Then, Dion used Vine Whip to help her to her feet. Eileen didn't thank him for any of it, but Dion had stopped letting that bother him.

He had certainly found something deep within the Foreboding Bog—something that might have been even more interesting than treasure. Dion couldn't wait to report back to the academy and share his discovery with Headmaster Arcanine.

[theochelpsquad]

Indigo Terzi (Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood OC)

#OhGodIReallyHopeI'mNotAnnoyingAnyone

H: You’re not, don’t worry!

Hi, I’m Fable (pseudonym, obviously). Before I get into this, I want to apologize if you’re flooded with stuff and I’m annoying you, but if you could read Indie’s profile and offer criticism, it’d be really appreciated. (Art Credit to Rinmaru Games). Firstly, yes, this is a world cross OC. I’m sorry if you don’t like those. Also, Indie is paired with Ed. I’m also sorry if you don’t like that.

H: Hi! We didn’t get your art, for some reason. In my opinion, world-cross OCs and OC/Canon pairings aren’t an automatic fail, if they’re done in a way that makes sense. For example, add some backstory to how the world cross happened, or show your OC and the canon character eventually falling in love.

E:  Ok, let me tell you, it’s always okay to pair your characters with actual characters in the show, for the most part! But that depends on how close you want to stick to canon (considering the character may already have a love interest in canon). So it’s your decision.

H: Alright, under the cut, because this is a little long!

Name:  Indigo Arianna Terzi

Meaning:  Blue purple, prophet

Nickname(s): Indie, IAT

Alias:  N/A

Age:  14/15 (changes through story)

Race:  Greek

E: You might want to change Race to Nationality, and considering the fact that her name is Terzi, you should add that she’s (possibly) Italian.

Gender:  Female

Date of Birth:  

Birthstone:  

H: I’m not sure if this was accidentally not included for some reason, but if you’re looking for a birthday that has some sort of meaning, I’d recommend a date in January (which represents doorways in change, referencing her world cross).

Birth Place:  Chicago, IL, USA

Current Location:  Somewhere in Amestris probably

H: If you want to add a more specific location, I added a map of Amestris below.

Goal(s):  Live…? Master her alchemy

H: What type of alchemy does she have? Does she need gloves like Roy or a transmutation circle to do it? Maybe try to link her form of alchemy to her life back at home or her childhood if you can.

Like(s):  Musical theatre/acting/singing/dancing, books, learning new things, comfy chair, hot chocolate, puns, playing with people’s hair, being alone with her thoughts, listening to other people talk/sing, bay windows, patterns and symmetry, logic, romance, history, studying how things work, pretty colors, pasta, dogs, children, hugs and human warmth, going shopping

Dislike(s):  Being bored, people mocking people for things they like, homophobes, unprovoked violence, needles/doctors, unfamiliar people, being without her phone and bag, conflicting patterns/colors, asymmetry, complicated math, silence, loneliness

Hobbies/Habits:  Hobbies: Writing, reading, singing, dancing, playing with hair, taking pictures, keeping a journal/Habits: Biting nails, twirling hair, licks lips

Flaws:  Sarcastic, comes off as cold/indifferent/annoying, has little self confidence, over thinks

E: I think that you might want to add a couple more flaws, some that will make her a bit more realistic. Maybe she’s a compulsive liar, maybe she often has tunnel vision with regards to others’ feelings and emotions, maybe she has a really short temper.

H: I really like how complicated and realistic these traits make her together!

Fears:  Needles/doctors, being abandoned

Personality:  Comes off as very cold and emotionless, guarded until she knows someone, awkward when flustered, passionate, can act childish, self depreciating, stressed, sarcastic, tries to be humorous and relate to people, intelligent, confused (not about anything in particular, just confused), aware of the world and it’s dangers, over thinks things, often daydreaming/lost in thought, true to herself

H: To me, she sounds like a character who prefers to be self-reliant. If you want to humanize her and her relationship with other characters, you can add some problems she faces trying to express her feelings to them freely.

Status:  Alive

Appearance

Skin Color:  Olive

Body Build:  Slight, petite

Eye Color:  Indigo (hence name)

H: How does she have indigo eyes? Did she live in an AU where purple, red, and other unusual eye colors were considered normal? Did she live in regular Chicago, but her eyes looked indigo in a certain light?

E: Indigo eyes are very rare. In fact, I think it may be one of the rarest eye colors in humans. But I’m sure she could have dark blue eyes!

H: Dark blue eyes could definitely work, and they do look indigo sometimes.

EDIT-

H: Then again, some characters from FMA have unrealistic hair and eye colors, like Rose Thomas, so it’s not a big deal.

Hair Color:  Dark brown

Hair Style: Down to ribs when down, but usually looks shorter because it’s in a high ponytail atop her head

Height:  5’

Weight:  88 lbs

H: Considering her age, she would normally be around 5′4″ and 105 pounds. If you want to keep your current measurements, you should consider adding a reason for them. Maybe Indigo has a sort of nutritional deficiency that stunts her growth? I know somebody who struggles with that, and they have to eat sugary things constantly to keep themselves healthy. That deficiency could make her story more interesting, as she now needs to concentrate on what she needs to eat, too, while also surviving in a different world.

Automail:  None

Other: Scar under right eye from falling down stairs as a kid

E: To be honest, I think that any falling injuries that would give her a cut under her eyes would also (in most cases) damage the bone in her face around her eyes.

H: If you want to keep the scar, burns, car crashes, and bike accidents are all common childhood injuries and could all cause a scar. However, falling down the stairs could also cut her without damaging her bone structure if she landed on something sharp, like a vase.

Clothing of Choice:  Black leggings, black combat boots, gray undershirt, dark green hooded jacket, brown messenger bag

Abilities

Occupation: None at the moment

Alchemic Element or Transmutation Specialty:  All

State Alchemist?  No

   State Alchemist Name:  N/A

Weapon of Choice:  Preferably no weapon, but fists if needed

Fighting Style:  Aikido

   [Scale 1-10, 1 = lowest, 10 = highest]

Alchemy Usage:  8/10 (eventually)

Swordsman and/or Gunmanship:  2/10

Martial Arts Skill:  9/10

Defense:  8/10

Offense:  4/10

Teamwork:  6/10

H: These statistics seem to really fit her character, down to her guarded nature being translated to high defense stats! I’d try not to change these if possible.

Relationships

Parents:  Helena Pallas-Terzi, Dion Terzi

Sibling(s):  N/A

Other Relative(s):  Petros Pallas (maternal grandfather), Elaine Galanis-Pallas (maternal grandmother), Markos Terzi (paternal grandfather), Tessa Elias-Terzi (paternal grandmother)

Love Interest(s):  Edward Elric

Best Friends: Li Shan/Sean Lee, Edward Elric, Alphonse Elric

Friends:  Winry Rockbell, Ling Yao/Greed, Lan Fan, May Chang/Xiao May, chimeras, Paninya

Enemy(ies):  Father Cornello, Father, Pride, Lust, Envy, Wrath

Hero(es):  Helena Passas-Terzi, Riza Hawkeye, Izumi Curtis

Rival(s):  (Jokingly) Edward Elric, Roy Mustang

H: Though you didn’t have much room to do so here, I’d expand on her relationships and how they formed. Maybe Ed took her in when she appeared in Amestris? That would explain most of these relationships, seeing as Ed knows all of these people, but how would she know Cornello and the homunculi? Does she appear in the show’s timeline? Alternatively, does this happen after the show, but do these enemies come back? This could be a great opportunity for some incredible word building.

Quote(s):  “This-this automail, this body, doesn’t define who you are.” “I don’t really do ‘healthy’ amounts of sleep when there’s work to be done.”

History/Backstory:  

Indie was born in Chicago, Illinois. She is the only child of Helena and Dion Terzi, and was named after her dark blue eyes. She grew up in a cozy apartment in the city, always healthy and happy. Both of her parents were artists (Helena was a painter while Dion was a composer), and they heavily encouraged creativity in their daughter.

Indie was always drawn to creative outlets, and was frequently doodling, writing, and humming. However, she also knew that her parents wouldn’t tolerate failure (or perhaps, she realized later in life, it was her who wouldn’t accept it), and therefore did very well in school. Though she wasn’t disliked, per se, her classmates found her a bit strange, given her unusual intellect and shy tendencies.

Helena, a long time Chicago resident, knew how dangerous the city could be. She signed Indie up for aikido so that she could learn self defense. Indie was decent. She wasn’t a top-notch, best in the country student, but she knew enough to the point that she could defend herself without harming her attacker.

While in elementary school, Indie’s nose was always buried in a book or notebook. She was fascinated by higher level education and entertained herself by doing things like memorizing the periodic table. It wasn’t because she wanted to show off. She simply enjoyed memorizing and trying out new things. She didn’t know that it would annoy her classmates to the point where they would tease her viciously, picking away at her insecurities. The teasing eventually got so bad that Indie would claim to be sick to get out of school. This happened so often that Dion took Indie to the doctor, who said nothing was wrong.

E: Does she have another mental illness? Some illnesses can give people a wider memory and an aptitude with higher level thinking. (What was described seems a bit unnatural for a neurotypical person of that age.)

As a result, Helena and Dion became worried and took Indie to a psychologist, who diagnosed her with social anxiety and depression. Indie was put on medication and moved schools to a private school for her middle school and high school years.

It was here that Indie flourished. She was still quiet, but, with encouragement from Dion, tried out for the musical in sixth grade, and, to her surprise, was cast. It was a small chorus role, but a role nonetheless. And thus Indie’s passion was discovered. Musical theatre became a second home for Indie, and she came out of her shell when she went onstage. She gained self-confidence as she moved up the ranks of the cast. She became very close to a stage manager named Sean Lee (birth name Li Shan), but no, they do not date, they’re just close friends.

Overall, Indie’s life was looking up. And then she saw that damn red stone.

Trivia/Fun Facts:

Indie’s blue eyes were inherited from her maternal grandfather, Petros

Indie’s father, Dion, came from Greece to Chicago to study, where he met Helena. His parents still remain in Greece and visit every few years

Her first leading role was Elphaba in Wicked

Lola played Glinda

Indie’s favorite color is actually purple

The reason Indie was able to pass through the Gate and not give up any limbs or her voice is that she had a necklace containing a Philosopher’s Stone that her grandmother had sent from Greece for her 14th birthday

H: I think this is a really important fact that should be expanded upon. Did her grandmother know about the stone or did she not know about its power? How did she come across it?

Indie is allergic to bee stings

Helena and Dion actually were going to have a child before Indie, but Helena suffered a miscarriage, meaning that Indie was a miracle and a blessing to both of them

Indie practically generates warmth, and is often hugged by Sean, who is perpetually cold

Indie’s favorite book (besides Fullmetal Alchemist) is Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

H: Unless I’m reading into this wrong, Indigo comes from a world that knows about FMA into the actual FMA universe. Does this mean that FMA was based off of a real story/universe? Or did someone create an alternate universe based on the FMA story? To keep your story from getting too complicated, I wouldn’t make FMA exist as a story in her universe, but Indigo isn’t my OC, after all!

E: (THE GOBLET OF FIRE WAS BETTER INDIE CAN MEET ME IN THE PIT!!!!)

Indie’s fear of needles came from when she was about 6 and was given an antibiotic for an infection. The antibiotic had a side effect of delirium, and, when the doctors came to draw blood, Indie saw nothing but the needles and though she was going to be stabbed

The total number of notebooks that Indie has filled with stories, notes, personal poems and songs, or choreography throughout her life is around 25-30

Indie loves games involving memorization, like Memory and recreating sequences

Indie’s brown messenger bag is like a safety blanket, and she never leaves anywhere without it

It was a gift from her parents for Christmas when she was 11

H: I really like these small tidbits, even if they don’t contribute to her story! They make Indigo seem very real and imperfect.

Template by germanshepardluv426 on Deviantart

E:  You write really well! Keep up the good work! I love your character. She’s very fleshed-out and realistic (to the point where I think she’s based off of someone real!) and with any free time you have, I think it’d be ideal that you pursue her story!

Also, on an ending note, you can also have fun bending canon if you want! Sure, Winry might end up with Edward at the end, but if you want her to fall in love with Paninya (for whatever reason,,, ;O ) you can!

But with OCs, usually the problem lies in the power that you give them. Remember, even though the content is free for examination and recreation, if you want a realistic (ha ha, realistic, it’s anime, but you get what I mean) character, you need to make sure you don’t give them a god-like ability and a perfect life. Mistakes happen. One day, in a tragic accident, a character might lose a leg halfway through the story.

(That’s confusingly worded, but to put it in simpler terms, every character messes up. Also, to keep the story realistic, not every character has to emerge in one piece.)

 H: Overall, I also really liked Indigo. I feel that she’s very realistic, and I don’t see many things you could change with her character that would improve her. The worldbuilding can be explored a little, but I think you’ve already created an interesting beginning that could make an awesome story. There’s a lot of great potential in this, and I encourage you to keep working on it!

[caveartfair]

In Athens, Documenta 14 Skips Art-World Spectacle—But Falls Flat

Rebecca Belmore, Biinjiya'iing Onji (From inside), 2017. Filopappou Hill, Athens, documenta 14. Photo: Fanis Vlastaras. Courtesy of documenta.

Long before Adam Szymczyk’s post as Artistic Director of documenta 14 was announced, a fellow art critic and I were chatting over drinks. She quipped that Szymczyk was the “Kate Moss of the art world”—waifish, reticent, mysterious, in great demand, capable of surprising moves, and adept at elevating something (in Szymczyk’s case, artists, as he’s been known to make art stars).

In the run-up to the art world’s most anticipated event this year, Szymczyk has been all of the above. The most surprising move was, of course, transplanting half of the quinquennial exhibition, which is typically located in Kassel, Germany, to Athens. The announcement for that change came in October 2014, when Greek-German relations were in sharp decline under the weight of debt discussions and bailouts from the European Union.

The curator’s mystery and reticence has been on full display, too. He refrained from publishing an advance artist list, and released an incomplete venue list just days before the preview. Although participatory events and talks have taken place in Athens since fall 2016, it was only at a two-and-a-half-hour press conference on April 6th that audiences got a taste of what documenta 14, which has the working title “Learning from Athens,” is about.

Andreas Angelidakis, Unauthorized Athinaiki Techniki Polytechnio 8. © Angelos Giotopoulos. Courtesy of documenta.

“Unlearn what you know,” Szymczyk said. “In my opinion, an exhibition should be an experience, without great programmed expectations.”

Indeed, emptying the cache in one’s brain isn’t a bad idea before tackling 160-odd artists showing in more than 40 venues. Anchoring the presentation are the larger spaces—the Athens School of Fine Arts, Benaki Museum Pireos Street Annexe, the former Athens Conservatoire, and the EMST contemporary art museum, the latter which has long been inoperational due to government mismanagement.

Then there are the smaller venues, many of which feature just one or two artists. The program also includes a radio station that broadcasts 28 commissioned sound pieces in multiple formats, art films screened on Greek television, a vibrant education program, and a jam-packed schedule of performances.

Curator Monika Szewczyk, who is part of a team working under Szymczyk, instructed press to “not look for red threads.” But of course, themes emerged. One such thread is language, including the universal language of music—which emanates from performances, archival materials, and even art objects across the exhibition.

Nevin Alada, Music Room. © Mathias Voelzke. Courtesy of documenta.

In Music Room (2017), Turkey-born artist Nevin Aladağ subtly transforms furnishings into instruments (a stool becomes a drum, guitar strings are stretched taught between couch armrests). These are played in two performances per day.

Likewise, Mexican composer Guillermo Galindo’s Exit/έξοδος (2016–17) consists of clever, collage-like instruments made of detritus found in politically loaded zones like refugee camps. These are periodically used for performances, too.

And Susan Hiller’s The Last Silent Movie (2007–08) traces disappearing or lost languages in a haunting film (Szymczyk showed the same piece at his 2008 Berlin Biennale), while William Pope.L’s Whispering Campaign (2016–17), inspired by current post-truth politics, embeds fragmented, whispered narratives into multiple locations.

The latter is an especially lovely piece, effectively penetrating the viewer’s psyche. (At one moment, I thought I was hearing voices in my head.)

Bouchra Khalili, The Tempest Society. © Angelos Giotopoulos. Courtesy of documenta.

Given the geopolitics of Greece as a port for migrants traveling into Europe, it’s no surprise that the refugee crisis looms large as a theme. Bouchra Khalili’s The Tempest Society (2017), for instance, is an engrossing hour-long documentary tracing the fate of refugees in Athens. But the migration experience is perhaps best captured by Berlin-based Hiwa K, who undertook a journey from Turkey to Europe some 20 years ago.

In his video Pre-Image (Blind as the Mother Tongue) (2017), he retraces his path through Greece, walking while balancing a complex contraption of mirrors on his nose, suggesting his invocation or reflection of that first journey.

The soundtrack is a poetic narration of his life and musings on walking, darkness, and silence. In his One Room Apartment (2017)—perhaps the strongest sculpture on view here—a single metal bed balances atop a concrete structure. Its staircase and bare concrete mirrors the skeletal, unfinished buildings in Greece and other poor countries from the Global South.

Critiques of the media, and of capitalism, are also present across the displays. Emeka Ogboh’s The Way Earthly Things Are Going (2017) puts a multichannel sound installation, featuring music and stories, in the Conservatoire’s dark, raw-concrete auditorium, while on its front wall, a real-time LED shows world stock indexes.

Hiwa K, Pre-Image. © Mathias Voelzke. Courtesy of documenta.

Emeka Ogboh, The Way Earthly Things are Going. © Mathias Voelzke. Courtesy of documenta.

The clash between African singing and Western monetary values is a jarring reminder of the exploitative relationship between capitalist systems and the resources from which they extract their value.

There are several pieces by indigenous peoples—notably multiple works by and about the Sami people from the Arctic regions of Norway—as well as art that addresses alternative communities existing beyond capitalism. There is also a predominance of Eastern European artists (perhaps no surprise, since part of the curatorial team is Polish), with many of their works referring to oppressive regimes of the past and their related aesthetics.

A whole room is given over to Social Realist portraiture, and there are some lovely collages and a film by the 90-year-old Romanian artist Geta Brătescu.  

What didn’t emerge at this year’s documenta were familiar formulas so often seen at art mega-events. At least since the early 2000s, most major exhibitions have one or two spectacular buzz-generating or Instagrammable works, pieces by familiar art stars anchoring each venue, and a smattering of intriguing art by new names.

Only the latter is present here. A lack of familiar touchstones may have left some viewers disoriented, with presentations in the large venues sometimes feeling restrained and often didactic (many vitrines with many things to read). Parts of the EMST and the Benaki Annexe, meanwhile, are disconcertingly installed like, say, a corporate collection.

This exhibition’s heart, guts, and libido clearly lie in its performances and smaller interventions, which embed themselves into the fabric of Athens—the “experience” that Szymczyk is clearly after.

Beth Stephens and Annie Sprinkle, Cuddling. © Stathis Mamalakis. Courtesy of documenta.

Sex activists and collaborators Annie Sprinkle and Beth Stephens will conduct a free sidewalk sex clinic starting this week, for instance. And the Greek-Norwegian architect Andreas Angelidakis has filled three rooms of a private apartment he rented in the anarchist Exarchia neighborhood with psychedelic installations and archival films that analyze the psychological profile of Athens as an architectural space.

I was lucky to catch Angelidakis there, but such outposts were difficult to find or visit in a city in which punctuality is not paramount—and where another German presence on the exhibition’s opening weekend, a visit by German president Frank-Walter Steinmeier, resulted in chaos.

The ensuing demonstrations, epic traffic jams and, in some parts of the city, tear-gas raids, are probably not what Szymczyk meant when he claimed that exhibitions can be a time to come together as political subjects. (Or is that exactly what he meant?)

This documenta needs time and navigational skills to experience it fully. (I dare you to find the oak tree planted in Greece, but with branches of Kassel grafted onto it.) It feels intentionally opaque, forcing viewers to slow down and figure things out. The only explanatory material available is located on the floor, and includes just work titles on paper and handwritten artist names on blocks of marble that look like paperweights.

Angelo Plessas, Experimental Education Protocol. © Freddie Faulkenberry. Courtesy of documenta.

But the question remains: Just what were Szymczyk and his team thinking? After all this unlearning, what are we supposed to learn from Athens? A gallerist I spoke to was convinced that Szymczyk is rewriting the canon, drawing new lines between historical and non-Western works and current artistic and political movements.

Several artists I met were irritated by, or furious at, what they saw as heavy-handed curation, the old curator-usurping-artist discourse. Some critics were downright unimpressed, but more of us, myself included, were simply nonplussed—at least at first.

There’s something about documenta 14’s Athens exhibition that prevents viewers from exercising an instant reaction. Rather, it worms its way into the subconscious, despite its dry presentation and the vague sense accompanying it that non-Western work has been stuffed into a Eurocentric template against all good intentions.

I’m reminded of a haunting piece on view at the Benaki Annexe: French-British artist duo Véréna Paravel and Lucien Castaing-Taylor’s video somniloquies (2017) is a 73-minute documentary pairing blurry, dream-like footage of sleeping bodies with the voice of prolific sleep-talker Dion McGregor. (Psychologists long studied 1960s recordings of McGregor’s nocturnal ramblings.) When I walked into the black box, I heard him saying, in a chilling voice, “Tomorrow the world is gonna kill itself.”

Verena Paravel and Lucien Castaing-Taylor, Somniloquies. © Yiannis Hadjiaslanis. Courtesy of documenta.

As I continue to digest this installment of documenta 14, I wonder whether this was one half of a coherent exhibition, or a first chapter. It remains to be seen whether the issues introduced in Athens will crystallize in Kassel, or whether “Learning from Athens” will exist on its own discrete terms.

Szymczyk, in delivering koan-like statements, such as “the great lesson is that there are no lessons,” may be issuing a disclaimer, bowing out of presenting a sharp curatorial statement.

The Athens leg of documenta 14 is in some ways a call to challenge Western economic and political structures (many of which were born in Greece) and question “what we know”—yet it offers no answers, and forgets that it and the greater art world still function deeply within those very structures.

—Kimberly Bradley

from Artsy News

[jessicakehoe]

The Underplayed Documentary Shines a Light on Gender Inequality in Electronic Music

After highlighting the issue of “diversity within the music space” in the short film Discwoman several years ago, director Stacey Lee has returned with a documentary that focuses on the routine harassment and lack of equality that women and female-identifying creatives in the world of electronic music have faced for decades. “This isn’t a new phenomenon,” says Lee when asked about the sexism, undervaluing and under-representation that’s explored Underplayed, a new documentary which was produced by Bud Light and premieres at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival on September 19. “Women have been central and instrumental to the whole birth of this industry since the beginning.”

Stacey Lee. Photograph courtesy of Underplayed

Lee’s film offers a voice to a wealth of musical talents ranging from Australian DJ, producer and singer Alison Wonderland and twin sister act Nervo to Los Angeles-based DJ and producer Tokimonsta, Niagara Falls’s Rezz and Grammy winner Suzanne Ciani. It also draws attention to trailblazers like musician and composer Delia Derbyshire.

Lee says that she was shocked at what she uncovered while working on Underplayed, particularly given this wasn’t her first production on the topic. “It was like nothing had evolved,” she says of the four years since her first project hit the screens. “If anything, some of the statistics were worse. It made me realize the urgency surrounding it.” At the core of the film is the notion that for women to gain equal footing with their male counterparts, a revolution — with all voices involved — must happen.

“It’s exceptionally complicated because you don’t want to distract from the art and the craft of what you’re doing by defining yourself as a woman,” says Lee about her documentary subjects. “At the same time, because there’s such inequity in the space, they also have a responsibility to speak up until things are right…. It’s a male responsibility, too. Women can’t be the only ones fighting for this. It’s the same as the Black Lives Matter movement. It’s shouting into an echo chamber if women are the only ones talking about this.”

FASHION spoke to four electronic acts who are part of the documentary about the trials they’ve faced, how self-expression brings them joy and what keeps them playing on.

TOKIMONSTA

courtesy of tokimonsta

“I think ingenuity is such a challenge and a gift,” says L.A.-based multi-hyphenate Jennifer Lee, who produces music and DJs under the name Tokimonsta. “It’s a quality in music that I strive for, and it keeps me on my toes.”

Lee, who grew up in a traditional immigrant household and learned how to play piano in her youth, says it wasn’t until she left for college that she could dabble in musical creation outside the works of the classical greats (all men) she had been exposed to and expected to learn.

“Growing up, I felt as if I had a lot of creative ideas, but if I ever strayed from Mozart or whatever I was playing, my family would be like, ‘What are you doing? Just stick to what you’re meant to do,’” she recalls. “I never allowed myself the opportunity to think that being creative in a different way was possible or OK. Once I decided to leave for college, it didn’t really matter what my parents thought anymore. I was on my own.”

During her first year of post-secondary studies, Lee downloaded the music production program FruityLoops (now called FL Studio) and developed the technical skills and prowess to craft the hypnotic tracks she has become known for; she points to the genres of drum & bass and West Coast rap and the work of Missy Elliott as being pivotal influences on her style. In 2015, after releasing two albums, Lee was diagnosed with Moyamoya disease, which affects arteries in the brain; she lost a host of cognitive functions and had to learn how to make music all over again.

Despite Lee’s evolution as a musical entrepreneur — she launched the record label Yung Art several years ago — and the fact that she’s self-taught, part of the sexist behaviour she has witnessed through her more than a decade-long career centres around her abilities as a creator. “There have been rumours that my boyfriend was making all my beats and he taught me everything I know,” she says. “Those rumours still exist because people don’t want to think I did it on my own. The discouraging part is that I’ve become so wrapped up in this idea that people don’t give me ownership of my music that it creates a blockage, and I feel very reluctant to work with other people. It has created some long-lasting trauma for me. But I’m growing and exiting from that, and I need to think about the art more than my ego, essentially.”

In addition to Lee learning to release her fears about collaboration, she says that familial acceptance with regard to her career has also grown; her mother now gleefully watches out for Tokimonsta mentions in the newspaper. And her mother — who was a fashion designer in the 1960s — has influenced her in terms of the style choices she makes. “She’s had a profound impact on my style,” says Lee. “She’s all about classic looks—the idea that if you have a certain style of jacket, you’ll have it for the rest of your life. I’ve always enjoyed her perspective on fashion in that way.”

TYGAPAW

courtesy of tygapaw

“I didn’t think of DJing as something I could pursue. If you don’t see yourself represented in a position, you don’t think it can be obtained.” Dion McKenzie, who goes by the moniker Tygapaw, grew up in Jamaica, and though she was exposed to music by Whitney Houston and Tina Turner growing up, the male-dominated dancehall and reggae scenes that permeated the culture left little space for women to consider themselves part of that world in the creative sense.

After moving to New York to study graphic design at Parsons School of Design, McKenzie felt emboldened to pursue the passion that had previously been denied. “I wanted to dive into learning how to play an instrument, but I wasn’t necessarily encouraged or supported when I was younger,” she recalls, noting that when she was a teen, her most potent musical memories came from hearing alternative music by bands like Nirvana and No Doubt. “I had a deep interest in the sound of an amplified guitar running through distortion,” she says.

McKenzie leaned into learning the guitar, and that eventually led to an interest in DJing. “It started when I was in a band, and my bandmate was a DJ as well,” she says. “She was fierce, and she really encouraged me. She said: ‘If you want to DJ, you should just do it. you shouldn’t put a barrier in front of yourself.’”

Since those early days, Tygapaw has become an integral part of New York’s underground music scene and beyond, although quarantine has forced her to focus more on the creation of her first full-length album than globe-trotting. “I’m enjoying the break because sometimes it can be overwhelming when you’re touring a lot and constantly in motion,” she says.

It’s hard to imagine McKenzie revelling in stillness when her music has such a propulsive quality, mixing nuances of island rhythms with driving electronic elements. the range of influences reflected in her tracks can also be seen in how she approaches dressing. “Personal style for me is all about expression and where I’m at in terms of my comfort in denouncing what society deems as conventional,” she says. “expressing myself, especially when it comes to my gender—or non-gender. There’s an evolution that’s in progress.”

The notion of progression resonates with McKenzie’s career path as well. “I create opportunities for myself, and I don’t take no for an answer,” she says. “A lot of times for Black, queer, non-binary and trans artists, that’s often the case. We create our own space and carve our own path.”

Although Tygapaw is one of the biggest names in New York nightlife, McKenzie says she was surprised to be asked to be part of the Underplayed documentary. “I’m an underground artist, Black and queer, and I also present in a certain way; I’m not high femme,” she notes. “There’s no overnight success for people who look like me; there’s a continuous work ethic — being ridiculously resilient and continuing to have a vision for yourself.”

Interestingly, McKenzie says another creative in the documentary is someone she admired as she was coming up through the touring circuit. “Tokimonsta has been an inspiration,” she says about fellow subject Jennifer Lee. “I saw her live at a festival where I was playing a smaller room, and now it’s come full circle where I’m in a documentary with her. Life is funny and interesting that way.”

And since McKenzie knows first-hand what example and encouragement can lead to, she says that the opportunity to be a voice in the film was important to her. “It’s really to empower young Black girls to know that they’re good enough. You can shine as bright as you want because you’re completely capable.”

NERVO

Photograph by by Chloe Paul

Like many of their peers, twin musical act Nervo acquired their aptitude after years of training — for them, in piano, violin and voice. Miriam and Olivia Nervo — who have recorded tracks with Kylie Minogue and Kesha and got their big break with a Grammy Award-winning song they co-wrote with David Guetta and Kelly Rowland — grew up in Australia in the musical-theatre world and haven’t stopped stealing the stage since.

“I think our singing teachers would roll over in their graves if they could hear us now,” Miriam notes with a laugh, as the pair have lent their vocal skills to pop-fuelled tunes that are a far cry from the formal arrangements they once studied. “The greatest thing about pop music is that it’s super-creative,” she says. “It’s all about breaking rules and doing what you feel.”

One gets a sense of this free-spirited nature via Nervo’s wardrobe choices — a mix that includes bodysuits, outsized tops and jackets and a selection of silky boxing shorts from Thailand. “We’ve always had fun with fashion and our hair,” says Miriam. “The best part of our job is being able to wear the best wardrobe.”

Always ones to follow their own beat, the sisters took a course in music production after several experiences of having their music “ripped off” by producers. When asked about the discrimination they’ve encountered, Miriam says: “We’ve always been around that. It’s part of being a woman in a male-dominated industry — you experience it in all aspects, from talent scouting and development to working with other artists.”

In order to shine a light on these challenges, the two were keen to be part of Underplayed; they had performed as part of the Bud Light House Party Tour and loved the experience. But they’re quick to point out that their interest doesn’t ultimately lie in shaming aggressors. “It doesn’t do us any service to name them,” says Olivia. “It’s tricky airing dirty laundry about our male counterparts in the business,” adds Miriam. “Yes, some of them haven’t been supportive or have been sexist, but our nature is to focus on the good and move forward.”

Miriam and Olivia notably used the documentary’s platform to demonstrate one women’s issue that’s still deeply under-represented in the entertainment industry: being a working mother. The pair announced their pregnancies in 2018 and avidly share the journey with fans. “That part of our lives we’re very open about,” says Miriam. “There are a lot of DJs who are fathers, but you wouldn’t know it from their social media,” adds Olivia.

Recalling the women who have influenced their musicality since they were teenagers — like Irish DJ Annie Mac and British musician Sonique as well as their relationship with music manager Amy Thomson, whom they credit as being a strong single mother — the Nervo sisters can’t help but look forward to a world with more female representation across all industries.

“I’m so optimistic for their lives,” says Miriam about her daughter’s and niece’s future. “I think women and girls these days are getting great opportunities. Society is changing.” And not a minute too soon.

CIEL

Photograph courtesy of ciel

When Toronto-based DJ, promoter and producer Cindy Li — also known as Ciel — isn’t visiting one of her favourite local shops, like vintage haunts Nouveau Riche Vintage, Public Butter and Common Sort, she’s directing her attention to not only her craft but also making the music industry a more equitable place.

Li feels that much of the problem is rooted in confidence, having experienced her own self-esteem struggles, which started when she was a young piano student. “I didn’t think I had it in me,” she recalls about making the move to create her own music after years of classical training. “Growing up in that world…there’s this idea that talent is innate. That kind of thinking is especially harmful for women because we aren’t as encouraged.”

This is something that Li has worked actively throughout her life to combat. “When I interact with women at workshops and on social media, I’m always trying to encourage them to not let fear stop them,” she says. “Anyone can make music if they want to and if they have the time and dedication.”

Though Li, who also ran a fashion blog in the 2010s, took a hiatus from the music scene for several years, she returned to nurture experimentations in sound—her tracks are melodic, intentional and uplifting—as well as encourage a new community by throwing parties with a fellow female entrepreneur. The events brought together “a queer-, woman-, POC-heavy community of people” at a time when “most lineups were 99 per cent male.” And although these parties made headway in terms of illustrating what equality in the music industry could look like, Li says that slowly, over time, she found that her influence was limited. “In the existing community—and you can see this in other cities as well—people were OK to just keep doing what they were doing.”

This was evident when Li called out a successful promoter in Toronto who until that point “had consistently booked all-male lineups and actually hadn’t booked a single woman in six years.” She recounts the experience as being something she would advise others against, even though call-out culture has become ubiquitous across industries. “It was really intense, and I don’t recommend it,” she says. “It was mentally trying for me. Leading by example is great if you have a lot of patience. Calling out will get you more immediate results but not necessarily the results you desire. A lot of times when you call someone out, they just shut down and end the project rather than trying to do better. The group that I called out stopped throwing parties. Of course, I was blamed for their disbanding. But I didn’t ask them to disband; I just criticized them for not booking women.”

In spite of this experience, Li hasn’t lost her drive to inspire others. “The way the industry looks now versus how it looked five years ago is hugely different,” she says. “There are way more women on lineups.” But she adds that with an uptick in representation comes the danger of insincerity. “I’ve been the token female DJ on an all-male lineup,” she says, noting that she’s also experienced multiple instances of payment disparity with her male peers. “For a man to say something like ‘I’m not going to play your party unless you pay me $500’ — it’s very rare for women in the industry to have that level of confidence,” she explains. “That’s a much deeper problem in examining inequality — a lot of women lack the self-confidence to compete with full gusto against their male counterparts.”

Li says that there’s much work to be done for the music industry to eliminate discrimination, highlighting the fact that female DJs are still treated differently even when it comes to accolades — for example, in the separate list rankings for top DJs and then top female DJs. “We’re trying to achieve integration and equality,” she says, adding that what it all comes down to is this: “Women need their existence to be normalized.”

This story appears in the October issue of FASHION magazine, available on newsstands from September 10th and and via Apple News + today. 

Photography by Iakovos kalaItzakIs. Styling by Ryan WeavIng. Creative direction by geoRge antonopoulos. left: Jacket, $4,930, corset, $3,830, and skirt, $1,255, andreas kronthaler for vivienne westwood. right: Jumpsuit, $2,275, vivienne westwood. necklaces and gloves, stylist’s own.

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