#summer kent and his spectacular friends

[punkeropercyjackson]

On a lighter note,we now have a quartet of this dynamic(made a spelling mistake but eh who cares.Also Batcesters and people who ship Jason with Roy or Ichigo with Grimmjow dni,this is an anti pedo zone)

[jasontoddssuper]

The Outlaws girls in the Spectacular Spiderman artstyle!!!Edits by my dear broski @belgiamese-boy and my perfect gf @theultimatesagavan .Think of this as a DC Superhero Girls 2019 reboot kind of incarnation but with extra edge :]

Bonus/Pov:You are Jason at Senior Prom

@moonage-gaydream @honeypotsworld @insomniac-jay

[peace-coast-island]

Diary of a Junebug

Warm sunshine and sakura showers at Kikorei Island

The fireworks show tonight was spectacular! A fitting way to end the Summer Nights Festival, which was a fun event. It was nice seeing Dello and Donna, even more so as Ocean Winds was one of the acts performing at the festival. Since their debut album released earlier this year, Ocean Winds has been rocking the music charts and rightfully so. Seeing them rock out on stage has added to the festival experience - they really have flourished since moving out of the manor and away from their uncle.

Along with the chart topping musical duo, Louise, Rosie, Cissy, Rolly, Easton, and Edie have tagged along for the festivities. I haven’t really spoken to Edie much since Anissa’s passing so it’s good to hear that she and Jamila are doing all right. It hasn’t been easy for them but at least Anissa went peacefully, remaining in high spirits until the very end. A documentary on Anissa and her family has been in the works for some time and a teaser was posted on the blog a couple weeks ago. Edie says nothing’s definite yet other than it’s coming out sometime next year and the proceeds will go to charity to help families of children who suffered from pediatric strokes, which was what Anissa had.

Dello and Donna have been busy, of course, with recording music and doing live performances. Their debut single, Shine Within You, quickly jumped to the top of the charts in less than a month. The lyrics really hit home for me - as well as pretty much most of the world - as it’s basically about how you don’t have to be spectacular or groundbreaking to prove your worth, that it’s okay to live life just by existing and doing your own thing because in the end, there’s only one you in this world, and only you can decide what you want out of life. Tally had hinted months ago that this was the first song they recorded professionally as it was the one mentioned as featuring family and friends as part of the chorus.

On a side note, the song has its detractors because of the message, resulting in some pretty bad takes. I think the most common one is that the song promotes mediocrity and underachievement, aka this song’s for lazy people who try to uplift themselves. Honestly, if that’s what their takeaway from the song is then they either hurt their back making such a reach or they have shitty comprehension skills. Apparently Mae and Alon are among those who have made negative comments about the song and Ocean Winds in general. Not surprisingly the Clanwing patriarch too has some critiques of his own regarding the duo’s music. By critique I mean he’s one of those people whose criticism isn’t so much on the media itself but rather them taking out their personal grievances on the creator and tries to make it everyone’s problem.

Aside from that, Shine Within You really resonated with a lot of people, myself included, and a lot of people have done covers like Cheyenne, Atsushi, Marianne, Lenie - it’s cool to hear everyone’s takes on this song. Plus it’s fun hearing the duo perform it live on stage, especially when the audience joins in on the chorus. There’s just something about the lyrics and the accompanying voices that works so well, kinda like a mantra encouraging you to open your eyes and learn how to be okay with yourself, flaws and all. When I’m feeling low, this song pop into my head and I start to feel a little better.

After the success of their first single, Too Bad for You shot up the charts as well. Those who have been following Ocean Winds for a long time are already familiar with the song, so it’s kinda a given that it’ll be a hit. Not too much has changed from the original recording aside from a few tweaks here and there to polish it up a little so that’s a good thing. That happens to be the song Kent has the most grievances with because he feels that it’s a personal attack against him. Well, he isn’t exactly wrong, the song is kinda about him, along with most other people Dello and Donna have been fucked over by. The thing about this song is that it’s not overly mean towards a specific person or anything, it’s mostly about anger and resentment mainly at yourself for not being able to assert your boundaries when you’re being trampled on. Of course, with a message like that, some people are gonna take it personally, which proves the song’s point.

Two more singles followed - Maybe and Scenic Route - along with Ocean Winds’s self titled album. Of course, I bought the album as soon as it came out. Easily one of the best new releases this year. I’m glad that Dello and Donna are getting the recognition they deserve.

Maybe is a song about reflection on the past, that feeling of missing how things were back then, even if things weren’t all that great it was still somewhat familiar. But at the same time you don’t want to go back to how things were because it was a difficult time. There’s no doubt that Dello and Donna were speaking from experience with that.

Scenic Route is another song that’s being covered by a lot of people. Dello wrote parts of it a long time ago when he was at a low point and ended up forgetting about it for some time. Later Donna came across the unfinished recording and decided to pick it back up. The final result is a song about feeling lost and taking the time to collect yourself instead of the usual carrying on like nothing happened. It’s also one of two songs where Dello and Donna share lead vocals, the other being Northern Lights. The only song where Dello sings lead is I Wish to See Your Smile Again, which is dedicated to Louise.

Ocean Winds’s second album is set to be out next year and they’ve been hinting about what to expect. One of the new songs is co-written by Edie, a tribute to Anissa. Donna says the second album is pretty much done, which isn’t surprising considering how prolific of a songwriter Dello is. It’s hard to believe that back then Kent had discouraged him from pursuing music, stating that he’d only be setting himself up for disappointment. Thankfully Dello’s long past the point where he needs his uncle’s approval on how to run his own life. Had he and Donna not put their foot down last year, Ocean Winds wouldn’t be a thing.

At the festival we enjoyed snacks, music, and the lovely scenery. Kikorei is a bit of an isolated island so it’s peaceful and quiet, the kind of place that’s good for an island getaway that isn’t too crowded with tourists. Though the main reason we came was for the festival - and to see Ocean Winds perform - we also came for the scenery. The Sakura River runs across the island and is a popular route of transportation for exploring.

The weather’s been perfect as it hasn’t been too hot so of course we spent a lot of time at the river enjoying the warm sunshine and summer breeze. True to its name, the river is surrounded by sakura trees. They said you know when you’re near the river when you’re hit with a faint fragrance of blossoms, followed by a shower of petals when a breeze passes by.

Even though I’ve been here for almost a week, I still haven’t grown tired of seeing the sakura showers when we go on the boat. There’s just something so fascinating and delicate about watching the petals fall all around the water, kinda like catching a snowflake in your palm. Though I have seen cherry blossoms many times throughout my life, something about these blossoms feels different. I bet by the end of this trip next week, I’ll still find the falling petals as mesmerizing as the first time I saw them.

When we’re not chilling at the river or enjoying the festival, we’ve been sightseeing at Kikorei City. A lot of my time has been spent at the cafes trying out their various drinks. Sakura matcha and milk tea mochi are popular local treats here and each place has their own way of making them. There’s something so nice about sitting by the river enjoying some sakura matcha boba while surrounded by falling petals.

When I’m out traveling I enjoy looking at local shops. Though most of the touristy places are popular for a reason, I try to look into smaller local places as those can bring new experiences when you least expect it. There’s something about little shops, particularly gift shops and bookstores, that draws me in. And being a stationery lover and art journaler, I like collecting ephemera from my travels as well as notebooks.

I don’t know exactly how it happened but since I began traveling and journaling on a semi regular basis, it seems to be my thing to buy a notebook as a souvenir when I visit a new place. I have a bit of a collection of empty notebooks and sketchbooks but they are getting used so I don’t feel too guilty about it. With the way I journal now, I will eventually go through them so they are being put to good use. For my trip to Kikorei Island, I treated myself to a handmade journal with a lovely sakura pattered fabric cover that’s hand woven. It’s a bit on the pricey side, but I think it’s so totally worth it because of how much work is put into making it. The notebook is bound in Japanese style binding, which I’ve seen and heard of before but never actually owned something like that until now.

Since I can’t experience the sakura showers forever, I think this notebook is the closest I’ll have to taking that experience home with me. I specifically chose this one because the design of the cover reminds me so much of the falling petals. Shortly after buying the notebook, I rested by the river and sketched out the sakura shower on the first page.

Boat rides and picnics by the river are a good way to unwind as well as become familiar with the scenery. Now that the festival’s over, we’re gonna have more time to further explore the island. Right now we’re at the center of the island, not too far from the city. I’d like to explore the whole island but realistically speaking, we’d probably only have time to visit about half. So we chose to travel to the right where the mountains are since it’ll be cooler there as the temperature’s expected to go up to the 90s in the next few days. I’m totally looking forward to the mountains, not so much the 90 degree weather.

Dello and Donna are gonna stick around for a few days before heading to another engagement. The others don’t have anything immediate back home so they’re gonna join us on exploring the mountains. And if time permits, maybe spend a couple days at the camp since it’s towards the same direction as Cityburg.

[ten-ten31]

Dear Yuletide Writer

Dear Yuletide Writer,

Thank you so much for writing for me! :) I can't tell you just how excited I am. This is my first Yuletide and I guess I'm super nervous, but also looking forward to it. :)

Please feel free to browse my ao3 (KitKaos) and/or tumblr to get an idea of what I stan, like, read or write. I hope I can give you some broad ideas and inspirations in this letter to help you plan. Do feel free to fall back on my general likes if the prompts don't do anything for you. Or just use the prompts, whatever works best for you. Oh, and should you, dear Yuletide Santa, want to write in German and not in English, then I'm definitely okay with that. I'm fluent in both, so whichever you feel more comfortable with. If there's something missing or if you have a question, you can reach out to me via the mods.

General likes: I'm a sucker for the old friends-to-lovers or even enemies-to-lovers (with all the drama of grudginly admitting that the other party maybe isn't all that terrible and all). Things I'll never get tired of include coffeeshop AUs, spy AUs, musical AUs, found families, fake dating, pining, crossdressing, drunken shenanigans, fish-out-of-water situations, pop culture references, etc. Just about any kind of scene you can sneak in there about cooking or eating food (also characters being picky about certains foods and other characters going to some lengths to accommodate that) will make me happy, too. I do have a thing for descriptions of food and expecially impressions of taste - and if you want to make it kinky: food play. ;) I also have a bit of a hand fetish - so descriptions of hands are always welcome. If you want to do it, I probably also won't say no to someone breaking the Fourth Wall, any kind of alternate history AU, crossovers of my fandoms, or even some lovely steampunk aesthetics.

Do Not Want: rape/dubcon/noncon, watersports, scat, humiliation, A/B/O, soulmates AU, vampire/werewolf AU, second-person pov, character bashing of any kind.

*

Fandoms

Just two more thing before I go into detail: 1. The prompts below are nothing more than ideas - feel free to ignore them if you have a better one. :) 2. Not all of the characters need to be used in every prompt; pick and choose as desired.

*

Dial H for Hero (DC Comics)

- Summer Pickens, Miguel Montez

The 2019 12-issue run is just pure love! There is worldbuilding galore, relatable characters, a wonderful coming-of-age and initiation plot, interdimensional shenanigans, the question how Joe Average could get addicted to sudden superpowers, and so much fun with the concept of Superhero Secret Origins. Summer is a wonderfully strong and caring female lead and Miguel is a self-conscious little oddball.

As for prompts: Seeing more of their Metropolis adventures or Red/Yellow/Blue/Black Dial transformations would definitely be a lot of fun. Also, there's this cute boy Miguel asks out in the comics and I would love to see that first date. And what about Summer? She definitely won't be reduced to sidekick!

Feel free to include any other ((teenage) superhero) cameos you feel like. Please do not pair up Summer and Miguel romantically - although I don't have any problems with a fake relationship fic for them. ;)

Where to find it: Your trusted comicbook supplier.

Masks: A New Generation (Roleplaying Game)

- any / worldbuilding

I only just disovered Masks as an RPG, and ever since I started playing, it's probably the most fun rping I've had in a long time. I love that playbooks are not by the type of power but the type of problem each teenager faces personally. Like, how do you juggle school, first love, being different in a way no one should know about, being different maybe in a way people will immediately see, adults telling you who to be, chores, and being part of a young superhero team that wants to make a name for themselves? It's hard. And the best sessions alternate between deep emotional connections, hilarious teenage drama and great action scenes.

As for prompts: I would love me some good worldbuilding - so maybe there is a reason the Scarlet Songbird is still around? What was Halcyon City like back in the days of the Golden-Age heroes? What has changed since then? How do especially the older generations view the naming conventions going around for new heroes? Is there a code to follow? Who in Halcyon City pays for all the damage to buildings and infrastructure caused by superhero-supervillain fights? What was it like back in the olden days for the Golden Age heroes as opposed to now?  Are there cultural exchange programs with any of the alien races visiting from time to time? Give me a day in the life of an average Halcyon City citizen - they don't even have to be all that close to an epic fight or something. Just their way of coping with the daily madness of a huge city housing most of the world's superheroes. If you like something a little more character-specific: The one actual-play podcast that does it best in my opinion are the Theatre of the Mind Players with their "Future Shock" and "Past Tense" seasons of Masks. And I would love to read more about these characters. Have Sparrow and Figment finally get together. Give me a glimpse of how Horizon assembled his ersatz mom. What will Helix and Remix get up to?

Where to find it: The core rulebook is available from Magpie Games. The Theatre of the Mind Players’ Masks sessions can be found on Youtube.

Super Sons (Comics)

- Jonathan Samuel Kent, Damian Wayne

Super Sons is how I finally came to like and care for Damian Wayne - which, if you know me, is a major achievement! He is still a huge brat, don't get me wrong, but Jon's influence on him and the way he is confronted with certain issues he has... it's magical! It's wholesome! It's healing! They are both so fiercely protective of each other, and they both grow as characters from their experiences with each other.

As for prompts: So, dear Yuletide Santa, give me character growth and banter and friendship galore. I can see slumber parties at Wayne Manor or at the Kent farm. I can see them getting lost in space and time. I can see more adventures once they're at the same school. I can see a canon-divergence AU where Jon is finally admitted into the the Teen Titans at age 13 - how would that go? Or how about an Interrail Buddies AU?

If you want to write slashfic for them, I will not say no but would probably prefer to age them up a bit. I also most definitely don't mind any background appearances of any of their families.

Where to find it: Your trusted comicbook supplier.

Superman Returns (2006)

- any (Clark Kent, Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen, Richard White)

I still love this movie a lot - not because it's particularly spectacular, but it treats the characters with love, it treats the legacy of the Reeve movies with love and it leaves SO MANY questions for fanfiction authors to answer. ;) I mean, I've been a Superman fan for a long time and I've discovered that I'm most comfortable with a Clark who wears a mask both as Clark Kent and as Superman, who isn't either of those two (and who is fallible). And whenever someone learns of his secret identity, they will see that he's so much more than either Clark or Superman. I know Lois is a fairly underdeveloped character in this movie, so I would love for her to be treated not just as a prize, especially since there were those years of her having to put her life back together after Supes just up and left.

As for prompts, I've always wondered about the different coping mechanisms (Lois turning bitter, Jimmy starting up daydrinking - WTF?!) and just how their day-to-day business changed without Clark and Supes there. Give me the Planet staff banding together to rescue Lois when she remembers just that second too late that there will be no superhero to save them (I also wouldn't mind any of the Bats helping out secretly, if that's up your alley). Give me Jimmy trying not to think too much and instead getting on Lois' nerves until he's rescued by Richard intervening. I am also an absolute sucker for continuation fics, so how do things settle down after what happens in the movie? I would love for some real Clark and Jimmy bonding moments, maybe even Jimmy finding out or having known all along and covered for Clark. I would love for some truce and real friendship blossoming between Clark and Richard, as they are both intelligent, compassionate, insightful men. If you want to include Jason anywhere, feel free to do that, as he makes for such a wonderful catalyst for disaster. Feel free to write gen or any canon pairings - I'm also okay with non-canon het/slash pairs (or threesomes) as long as they make sense in-universe. ;)

Where to find it: Sadly, the movie doesn’t seem to be streaming anywhere, but since it’s 14 years old now, you can buy it relatively cheap.

Young Justice (Comics)

- Tim Drake (but do feel free to have any of the other characters in the story, too)

No matter if you're into the old 1990s YJ comics, the companion comics to the cartoon show, or the new 2019/20 version of the comics - I love all of them! So much I don't even know where to begin... The snark! The lovable teenage stupidity! The friendship that goes above and beyond! My definite favourite is Tim, because he is such a bright, snarky, secretive, repressed little bird (the moment he takes off his domino mask to reveal a second one underneath? priceless)! I also love his deep friendship with the others because that's his found family. Yes, Batman is his mentor (even though Tim might understand B better than the other way round sometimes) and Dick is his older brother and idol (hero worship, anyone?), but Young Justice is where he wants to be himself and all of it.

As for prompts: Even though I did not put either Cassie or Cissie in my request as I want something Tim-centric, the dynamic with those two strong-willed girls is definitely something I would love to see explored more. Also how the dynamic with the bats is so very different than the Young Just Us dynamic. What's it like being the one without powers in a group of hormonal teenage superheroes? I also just realized that I would love to see more of Mister Sarcastic trolling the rest of the gang. Or how about: What if Tim had powers for one day? If you're into the 2019 comics, how about a 5+1 of Why Drake May Or May Not Be A Good Superhero Alias. If you want to include the rest of the gang, you're definitely more than welcome to. Tim and Kon's bickering and outright arguments in the beginning turning into such a solid friendship (or more) is something I can read about time and time again. Pretty much the same goes for Tim and Bart. Or how about some Wendy the Werewolf Stalker shenanigans? Why is having girls in your group a bad/good idea? How did Cassie's becoming the team's leader affect Tim's sense of self? Heck, if you feel like it, open up the love triangle Tim-Cassie-Kon since there's like a ton of history there. Oh, and anyway, why is Stephanie Brown never part of any of Tim's teams? Dear Yuletide Santa, do also feel free to include any of the other teens (I have a soft spot for Li'l Lobo/Slobo).

Where to find it: Your trusted comicbook supplier.

Overall, I’m sure I’ll love what you have for me, and I'm looking forward to reading it! <3

[bittysvalentines]

BBQ

From: @airplanesandcookies​

To: @lizards-online​

Requests: Zimbits/patater

Note: There was a story going around on tumblr about a person who had the nicest neighbors and it provided a nice prompt for your request. I really enjoyed writing this.  I hope you like it. Enjoy!  

Kent never expected that this would be the hill that he would die on, but…

“Goddamnit.  We’re going to have to throw a barbecue.”

Alexei looked over from where he was laying on the sofa, an empty pie plate on his bare chest. “Sounds like fun. But why?”

Kent glared out the window at his neighbors.  “Because this is war.”

***

The thing about hockey, even with the C, Kent knew that his clock was ticking in Vegas.  

It was bittersweet being right.  

Change happens fast.  

Adaptability is one of his biggest virtues, but even he never expected to end up on the East Coast.  With his contract with Boston proving him otherwise, it was an easy decision to get an apartment and split his time in Providence with Alexei.  It made sense even if that meant living next door to his ex and his perfect blond fiancé.  But hockey, thank god, keep you busy, he reasoned. He would barely be there, he thought.  He could survive a few awkward waves from his front door, he rationalized.  

A run of bad luck took out both the Falconers and the Bruins early in the series, and that left Kent with a lot more time on his hands and a pie box on his front doorstep and a note with a happy face under round letters, ‘Welcome to the neighborhood”.

Kent has never liked pie - it’s too sweet, but he liked the sounds that Alexei made while eating the pie.  And well, you know, they both were on the road, and it had been a while.  Too long really.  Anyway.  Kent made up his mind that he had to thank Bittle for the pie.

He ordered an extra pound of coffee from his favorite roaster down in Colorado.  They have an ethiopian bean blend that tastes like chocolate and blackberries melting on your tongue.  Plus, it bumped his order up for free shipping.

He had planned to throw the bag of beans onto the Bittle-Zimmermann doorstep like a brick and run like hell.  As soon as the bag hit the door,  Jack opened it, also dressed for his run and waved him inside.

“Oh my gosh, this smells amazing!  See, this is worth getting up for.  I’m going to brew a pot right now.” Bittle had exclaimed as soon as Jack had dragged Kent in.  “Oh, this will go perfectly with the chocolate coffee cake I made!”  

Kent left an hour later with three quarters of a coffee cake that Tater legit gasped over.  

Well, shit, Kent thought as he finished his second slice, leaning against Tater in bed.  “This requires an escalation of force.”

Kent needed strategy.  He needed a plan.  

The Bittle-Zimmermanns were thoughtful motherfuckers.

Kent headed to the library.

Loaded down with every book on manners and etiquette he could grab from the 390s section of the library, along with copies of the Art of War by both Machiavelli and Sun Tzu, and a stack of Good Housekeeping magazines, he didn’t pay attention until he bumped into Jack, who was also standing in line, weighed down with a few of his own books.  

“Kent?”

It took some self control, but he managed not to try to flinch, but it sounded forced in his own ears, “Hey Zimms.  Not surprised to see you here.”

Jack smiled, and Kenny suddenly is flooded with the memory of being in juniors and meeting his god awful crush, Bob Zimmermann, as he introduced Jack to some of the movers and shakers at the camp.  

The memory is visceral, especially with Jack pleasantly looking at him.  Kent could practically see Bob standing there, bigger than life, sexy, confident, and powerful introducing his son, the boy who would be king.  Nothing will ever compare to the sense of relief he had felt when Jack, round eyed, nerdy, and introverted, had shook his hand.  If Jack had had a quarter of the charisma Bob exuded, then Kenny would have been in trouble.  (Hindsight, man.)  But then Jack smiled, a heartbreakingly timid smile, that only he knew the secret to, and Kent thought to himself, “well shit, at least he didn’t get the full genetic package, because that would be devastating.”

He hates being right.  

Because, Jack, has grown into himself, filling in the corners that were filled with doubt and self consciousness.  Now, he is whole and healthy with that shy smile, those intense eyes, and a stack of books, he is all types of fantasy love interest material.  

Kent did not sigh.  He is better than that.  

But it was definitely hard especially when Jack invited him and Tater over for dinner later in the week.  It was damn near impossible when Kenny’s car refused to start in the parking lot, and Jack immediately pulled his car over, popped open both hoods and jumped his car.  

Kent pulled into his own driveway feeling as if he had lost significant ground.  He lost this battle.  

***

“I don’t understand, why are you upset that Zimboni and B are being nice to us?”  Tater asked.  And it’s a reasonable question with unreasonable answers so Kent doesn’t reply.

Tater heard him anyway.  “You are very competitive.  We all are.  But you are not going to beat B.  It’s his court.  We should be grateful that we have such wonderful friends nearby who bring us pie for no reason.”

Kent snorted at that.  “ You sound half in love with him.”

Tater stood up, stretched before heading towards Kenny on the couch.  “There are many harder things to do.  Breathing, blinking, heartbeats.  It’s the same with Zimboni.  Instinctive to love, hard not to.”

Tater is clearly a traitor.  

***

Parse was outmanned.  Winning was futile.  

He brought over more coffee and a pretty green leafy plant as a thank you for the car jump.  Jack responded by helping him pull up the dying bushes in his own yard, and then letting Kenny borrow his truck to pick up new plants from Home Depot.  

He hadn’t even thought of a response to that when a summer storm knocked out the power in their house and Bittle showed up in a poncho with a picnic basket of baked goods, a bottle of wine, candles, and a wink.  Tater winked back.  

Like he said, Tater was a traitor.  

Kenny hadn’t even picked out the date to host a summer BBQ before Jack was knocking on the door to invite him and Tater over for their own summer party.  

“I give up.” Kent said to himself as he watched Bitty flit around the backyard party refiling drinks and making conversation as Jack watched him from over in his own conversation with his his father, “uncle Mario”, Tater, and a few of the Falconer’s senior management.  

Summer on the East Coast never approached what he saw in Nevada, but at the same time, it was humid and no one depending on air conditioning like their lives depended on it.  Kenny felt the sweat drip down his face from his cap and he escaped the crowd to hide inside the house.  

Mostly everyone had moved outside, leaving the house cool and quiet and with nothing else to do with his nervous energy, Kenny decided to get a head start on the  dishes in the sink.  The mess builds up during parties and Kent can tell that Bittle isn’t one to tolerate a messy kitchen.  

He’s finished loading the dishwasher and started rinsing out the sink when a soft hand touched him on the back.  

“This is so kind.  Thank you so much.”  Bittle said, and he can see why Tater likes him so damn much even though Kenny has worked hard to avoid seeing it.

“Not a problem.”  He said, focused more on the sink than Bittle.

“Well, I appreciate it.  I was looking for you.  Jack said your birthday is coming up and I made you a cheesecake.  You raved on instagram about a cheesecake you had in NY and I thought I would try to recreate it for you.”

And it’s a one, two hit.  Kent is done. His will to fight vanquished. Between the consideration and the validation, Tater is right.  He was fighting an uphill battle all along.  Defeat feels like a relief.

“I bet it’s spectacular.  You are going to have to show me how to make it.”

Bittle beamed back at Kenny just as Tater and Jack walked in.  “If you baking with B, I want to come too.”

“Anytime!  Ask Jack, I love teaching you guys how to bake.”

Jack smirked, knowing and fond. “He just wants to cover you in flour while chirping you.”

“I do not!  That is your M.O. Jack Zimmermann.”

And just like that, the picture that Kent couldn’t see clearly righted itself and he could see how he fit in this scene, happy and ready to surrender and make peace.  

[dweemeister]

NOTE: The following contains some spoilers. 

Justice League (2017)

Under the leadership of Zack Snyder, the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) has begun with embarrassing efforts including Man of Steel (2013), Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016), and Suicide Squad (2016). The outlook at Warner Bros. was grim, facing diminishing box office returns and vicious critical reviews. This summer, it took Wonder Woman to provide any hope that the DCEU was on an upward trajectory. In comes Justice League, a film that marks a step forward for Warner Bros.’ most important franchise, but is troubled by writing its way out of the holes dug by Snyder in Man of Steel and especially Batman v Superman. With Zack Snyder’s Justice League (alongside expensive reshoots by Joss Whedon, credited as co-writer with Chris Terrio), the DCEU remains in critical condition. But unlike the recent philosophical shallowness of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s (MCU) militancy, the DCEU – in Wonder Woman and Justice League – is making an honest attempt at a superheroing dialectic.

Shortly after Superman’s death in Batman v Superman, Steppenwolf (Ciarán Hinds; the character is an alien general from Apokolips who serves Darkseid) has landed on Earth to retrieve three Mother Boxes and harness the boxes’ aggregate powers to commence Earth’s destruction. No one knows the exact capabilities, purposes, or origins of the Mother Boxes, but Amazonian Queen Hippolyta (Connie Nielsen) warns Diana Prince (Gal Gadot; Wonder Woman) of Steppenwolf’s arrival. Diana joins forces with Bruce Wayne (Ben Affleck; Batman) and, together, recruit Arthur Curry (Jason Momoa; Aquaman), Barry Allen (Ezra Miller; The Flash), and Victor Stone (Ray Fisher; Cyborg). Steppenwolf and his army of Parademons are making quick work of finding the boxes, and – this should come as no surprise to anyone paying attention to the DCEU – our superheroes exhume and reanimate Clark Kent (Henry Cavill; Superman) in preparation for the final showdown.

The supporting cast is unwieldy – as in any superhero team movies – but the prominent members include: Bruce’s butler Alfred Pennyworth (Jeremy Irons); Clark’s mother, Martha Kent (Diane Lane); Clark’s love interest but, most importantly, Pulitzer-Prize winning journalist for the Daily Planet Lois Lane (Amy Adams); and Gotham City Police Commissioner James Gordon (J.K. Simmons).

Before delving into the heart of this write-up, note that Zack Snyder departed the project after a sudden family emergency. Joss Whedon (who directed the first two Avengers movies) replaced Snyder, re-wrote scenes, and filmed reshoots. The stylistic differences between the two directors clash throughout Justice League – Snyder has always relied on a desaturated brown- and black-heavy color palette, foreboding self-importance, and an attitude toward life that is a cross between an emotionally bankrupt nihilist and that edgy fellow from your Intro to Philosophy class trying to be “deep”, but failing; Whedon established the MCU’s quip-heavy dialogue in favor of slowing down the action and showing us where a superhero’s humanity comes from, oftentimes interrupting thoughtful moments and conversations like a loud frat boy with a tenuous command of the subject being talked about (the frat boy might actually be “deep”, but he has trouble expressing himself).

I profess to appreciate Whedon’s writing only a little more than Snyder’s. Self-important superhero movies need to earn their somberness – see Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy – and humanizing those with superpowers is something that post-Spider-Man 2 (2004) superhero movies have all but forgotten to do. So the Whedon-esque comedic dialogue is appreciated, if occasionally misplaced in the thick of a violent scene. In other times, Whedon’s dialogue is entirely inappropriate and will unintentionally have the audience burst out in disbelieving guffaws. Let us take the scene where Superman returns with Lois Lane to Smallville.

Lois’ first line is to tell Clark that he smells good.

“Didn’t I smell good before?” he asks.

That is the first thing she says in their first private moment together? And second, wouldn’t being buried six feet under make you smell like earthworms? I guess Kryptonian pheromones are pretty resilient even in death! Soon after, Lois asks Clark what was it like being dead.

“Itchy,” he says.

Itchy? Is the Kryptonian afterlife filled with Kryptonian fleas (bad news for Krypto the Superdog if that’s the case)? To pull back before I pick and choose dozens of individual lines of dialogue for ridicule, Whedon’s comedic tendencies – not for the first time – destroy any sense of intimacy between friends, lovers, and family. A Whedon-written subplot about a Russian family fleeing the final battle sequence is manufactured and manipulative, rather than horrifying or inspiring.

For Snyder (and Terrio, who worked with both Snyder and Whedon and whose contributions are less clear), his writing belies little interest in adding dimensions to Steppenwolf. The worst of Snyder appears immediately after Superman is resurrected as Batman, Wonder Woman, Cyborg, and The Flash must combat the awoken Man of Steel in a battle that does not serve anybody’s characterization or the plot’s progression. It is a superficial battle fulfilling Snyder’s dependency on unnecessary violence to keep interest going.

Yet Snyder is also responsible for the film’s most inspiring moment. Unfortunately, that comes in the opening minutes as the film introduces Wonder Woman. She is seen defending civilians from terrorists threatening to obliterate a London bank. From the sequential progression of the moment – despite being deprived of too much context – and the impressive visual effects, it builds off Patty Jenkins and Allan Heinberg’s characterization of Wonder Woman earlier this year. And though the final line of that introductory scene smacks of cheesiness (”Who are you?”; “A believer.” Is Diana a Monkees fan?), it retains what was essential of Jenkins’ interpretation of Wonder Woman: that Diana has always been motivated not by personal animus, but a genuine, learned belief in humanity’s characteristic and fragile goodness. It is a brief moment, this. Yet in that snippet, Zack Snyder – whether he internalized these lessons or not – provides a moment worthy of cheers and, yes, tears.

The balance of screentime between all six founding members of the DCEU’s Justice League (spare a thought for fans of omitted, original founding members Green Lantern and Martian Manhunter) is equal enough, although Aquaman does not truly factor until the final third of the film. For Aquaman, The Flash, and Cyborg, Justice League might feel like an extended trailer for their more interesting standalone movies. Regarding the film’s treatment of Wonder Woman, there are mixed results after that spectacular introduction. One-liners and comments about Wonder Woman’s attractiveness (Flash, Aquaman, and Alfred in particular) are unwelcome, undermining the professionalism seen in the Cartoon Network animated series Justice League / Justice League Unlimited (2001-2006) and even Hanna Barbera’s long-running Super Friends (1973-1986). The angles in which Wonder Woman is shot also contribute to feminists’ justified anger in how Snyder (who has never been concerned with feminism) and Whedon (a self-professed feminist, but whose behavior and past writing suggest otherwise) have portrayed her. Eventually, the film’s roughshod editing between the Snyder and Whedon versions provides a portrait of the Justice League to that is cluttered, confusing, contradictory.

In such a sizable ensemble picture so devoted to narrative and action, it seems useless to comment on performances. With the exception of Cavill and Affleck, every other lead and important supporting cast are doing a serviceable job (for Fisher, Miller, and Momoa, their shining moments will come in their respective movies). Cavill has the muscles, but his charm remains missing despite a more saturated suit for Superman – Cavill remains a more convincing antagonist than a protagonist. Affleck looks and sounds bored. He adds nothing to Bruce Wayne or Batman. Today, it seems even more impossible in film to make the Caped Crusader a sympathetic character – like the one found in the comics and animated television.

It is sympathy that brings us to the direction of this franchise. This paragraph should be read with the understanding that I do not read comic books and that I do not have the emotional ties that many others have to these characters. If Zack Snyder remains sidelined at the DCEU in future installments (unlikely at this juncture, as Warner Bros. did not sack him after multiple critical failures), the franchise’s primary problem will no longer be that it peddles in malformed ideas and soul-heaving darkness. In this case, the primary problem of the DCEU is making its characters sympathetic – allowing the audience to understand each hero’s sense of altruism and showing us where that comes from (e.g. family-instilled values, personal losses processed or otherwise, childhood loneliness into compassion) and having the Justice League become something inspirational to those unable to defend themselves.

Making characters sympathetic sounds simple (anything but!), but it is a good primary problem to have considering the recent history of superhero films. The DCEU has no problems making its superheroes feel larger-than-life. There are few character visibility or recognizability obstacles. As long as the DCEU avoids stunts like Superman’s “death” and Man of Steel’s heinous thesis that the only way for Superman to truly cherish life is to kill someone, its regard for life and understanding of death’s gravity is intact. These are foundational aspects of superhero narratives that must be recognized. Regarding sympathetic superheroes, the DCEU has Wonder Woman (the MCU wasted Captain America due to a convoluted conspiracy-thriller maze of an overarching plot and an unwillingness or inability to meditate on mature themes; the DCEU may yet squander Gal Gadot’s Diana) and must endeavor to make its future installments just as appealing. The MCU might be making the better movies, but this is where the DCEU can still mount its challenge.

Again, realize that almost all of the above is dependent on Zack Snyder’s permanent departure from DCEU films and a need for better writers.

Justice League’s music score has become one of the fiercest points of contention among hardened fans. Just as the DCEU has become the most visible battleground for the soul of superhero movies, it is also the frontline for the future of film scoring. In June 2017, Junkie XL (2015′s Mad Max: Fury Road, Batman v Superman) was replaced with Danny Elfman (1989′s Batman, 1990′s Edward Scissorhands). Junkie XL, who has collaborated multiple times with Zimmer, is a DJ and audio engineer first, a composer second (sorry, but all those categories are distinct), and is interested in rhythm and ambience. Elfman, who has composed for superhero media for almost thirty years, is classically influenced with a rock and ska background, and has always been regarded for his melodic and harmonic constructions. American movies – whether independents or major studio tentpoles – have been moving away from traditional orchestra-based film scoring in recent years in favor of electronic music and Zimmer’s drum “choruses”. Controversy among DC fans ensued when Elfman announced he would recall his theme to 1989′s Batman and John Williams’ Superman theme rather than continue some of Zimmer’s previous musical ideas – the number of incendiary personal attacks directed against Elfman have been sickening and reflective of a lack of understanding of film music conventions and history.

I personally have mixed feelings about the Elfman score. While I despise Zimmer and his associates/ghostwriters’ DCEU contributions and refuse to believe their music is “revolutionary” in the ways they boast, Elfman’s decision to undermine the musical continuity of the DCEU resembles the compositional debacles with the MCU. The 1989 Batman theme is an imperfect, but adequate fit for Affleck’s Batman (variations can be heard early in “Batman on the Roof”; Elfman restrains himself until “Then There Were Three”); Cavill’s sleep-inducing Superman does not yet deserve the soaring strings and inspiring brass and woodwinds that fit Christopher Reeve’s portrayal of the Man of Steel (Williams’ theme is buried underneath a thunderous sound mix, but its renditions in minor key suggests Elfman considered Cavill’s Superman and applied the theme in a suitable fashion). In ways that Hans Zimmer and Junkie XL could never provide, Wonder Woman’s theme is, for the first time, not played by electric cello, but by lower strings, brass, and guitar in “Wonder Woman Rescue”– diversifying the instrumentation is almost always rewarding, as evidenced here. Less developed are Elfman’s hints to themes for Aquaman, Cyborg, and The Flash for any future composers to build upon if they so desire.

For all my gripes about the score and lack of new, recognizable motifs (Elfman’s score is motif-heavy), film composers rooted in classical music have an advantage over composers using drum choruses and harsh electronics: orchestras are more capable to carry multiple, harmonically independent themes in a single cue and have those themes in dialogue with each other. And though it is played underneath the combat, “The Final Battle” is a gorgeous orchestral action cue combining motifs that – and it feels so strange to write this – help tell the story of the battle.

Adjusted for inflation, Justice League is the third-most expensive film ever made – behind the 2011 and 2007 Pirates of the Caribbean movies and ahead of Titanic (1997). With extensive reshoots and a committed effort by Warner Bros. for an extremely late, movie-saving operation, Whedon’s interventions improve the film, even if Justice League is a Frankenstein’s monster of a movie in all of its tonal inconsistency. As expectations beforehand remained abysmal, this Justice League is the best possible movie that could have been made with the talent attached to it. With the exception of perhaps Star Wars, the production history of the DCEU is just as dramatic as the events on-screen. Justice League shows that the producers, directors, and writers of the DCEU are actively learning from their prior mistakes.

The challenge is now to make these comic book superheroes into the ideal that their creators, decades ago, imagined for themselves, their readers, those who can still differentiate between justice and mercy.

My rating: 6/10

^ Based on my personal imdb rating. My interpretation of that ratings system can be found here.

[mitchbeck]

CANTLON: PACK LAST FULL HOME WEEKEND OF PLAY

BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings HARTFORD, CT - The Hartford Wolf Pack have a pair of weekend games in which they seek to snap a five-game losing streak against the Utica Comets Saturday night and the Binghamton Devils Sunday afternoon. The task got a bit harder on Thursday when defenseman Ryan Lindgren was recalled for a second time likely to play in either one or both of the Rangers last two regular season games against Columbus and Pittsburgh. You can just call them the Hartford Junior Wolf Pack for the final two weekends of play. In addition to Lindgren’s recall, the Rangers announced the signing of two more collegians and recent junior hockey signing to ATO deals and sent two players back to Maine. Pack added collegiate forward in Harvard’s Lewis Zerter-Gossage. A Montreal area native, Gossage completed his four-years at Harvard after playing two years of prep hockey at Kent School. Current New York Rangers head coach David Quinn and player Boo Nieve also attended the western Connecticut private school. Hartford signed a local Springfield college product, Shawn McBride, the captain of American International College (AIC) from the AHA conference. He will likely play this weekend as will Gossage. AIC knocked off St. Cloud State in their first-ever NCAA Division 1 tourney game in one of the biggest upsets in college hockey history. He is the second McBride to play for the Wolf Pack in team history. Brock McBride played eight games in the 2008-09 season but is no relation. He is presently an assistant coach with the Cornwall Colts (CCHL) one of the 10 Junior A leagues in Canada. The junior player is Jake Elmer of the Lethbridge Hurricanes (WHL). He was signed last month and arrives here after Lethbridge dropped a seven-game first round series to the Calgary Hitmen, four games to three. They lost Game 7, 4-2. Elmer had a goal and six points in that first-round matchup. Through 68 regular-season games, Elmer was third in team scoring with 81 points with a team-leading 39 goals. The Hurricanes finished second in the WHL Central Division with a record of 40-18-5-5 and second highest offensive output in the WHL with 268 goals. One of his junior teammates, Jake Lechyshyn, a Las Vegas draftee, is the son of former Hartford Whaler, Curt Lechyshyn, who tallied ten points in the series tops in the WHL. One of his opponents for Calgary the son of Ed Kastelic, another Whaler, in Mark Kastelic. Two players were returned to the Maine Mariners. Ty Ronning had four goals and five points in 23 games, and Terrence Wallin, who was returned for the third time this season, has just one assist in 23 games. The Wolf Pack have an influx of junior and college players. One of them has a Connecticut address, Ryan Dmowski. The East Lyme born forward, a veteran of four games, Dmowski played at UMASS–Lowell, but his hockey GPS has landed in various parts of New England. Dmowski played against UCONN at the XL Center back on November 16th tallying two goals in a 5-2 win over the Huskies. Dmowski garnered the game’s First Star and was on the ice for the opening shift. “I had about 40 friends and family in the stands that night. It was a good game and I liked playing here when I was with UMASS (Lowell). I loved the atmosphere, and so far, the crowd has been awesome to me and I am very happy to be here.” Finding his way to Hartford was something special. “It’s been amazing; a dream come true to go pro, and even more special being here in Hartford. (I'm) just thrilled to get the opportunity. To be honest, I never thought I would be back here to start my career in Connecticut. (It's) kinda crazy how it works.” He talked with Providence and a few other AHL teams, but the best opportunity came from the Rangers. His hockey road map started in Rhode Island at age seven. After school, his grandfather would take him to North Smithfield, Rhode Island. It's an hour away each time to begin his first skate lengths of hockey. “I would get out of school, and my grandfather picked me up or my dad (Dave). All the dedication we both put in was incredible, and all worth it so far,” Dmowski said with a smile. When he finished Bantam-level play, he headed in the opposite direction and played for the Springfield Junior Falcons program when after his freshmen high school year, he put a new address in the GPS for Gunnery prep school in Washington, CT closer to New York state than Connecticut. “To be honest, I had no idea there was a Washington, Connecticut until I went there,” Dmowski said with a laugh, who had a fellow Highlander (Gunnery’s nickname) Terrence Wallin, older by three years, just sent back to Maine on the Wolf Pack roster, “(It's) kinda weird we took about the same hockey path and wound up here.” He went to a few P-Bruins and Wolf Pack games as a kid, but he spent more time honing his craft and schoolwork. His adjustment to the Wolf Pack has been a stretch playing with a new line almost every game. “It's been a bit stressful, but part of being a pro, and I’ve been doing a pretty good job getting to know everybody and a new line this week too.” Pack head coach, Keith McCambridge had Dmowski with Bobby Butler, the vet, and newcomer Shawn McBride. Butler, Dmowski, and McBridge…sounds like a law firm. “It’s so different here. The speed is so much different just getting used to that now. I’m just trying to get the puck in and not rushing myself and taking my time and learning to keep my feet moving and developing that confidence I’m gonna be good to go.” McCambridge likes what he's seen so far. “He carries himself well. He is a big body, has played well with the puck, and he's handled several different situations well.” It's audition time for the 2019-20 Wolf Pack roster for Dmowksi and his GPS will be putting in another address for the summer. ‘My girlfriend is going to graduate school at Sacred Heart University (Bridgeport) so we're looking for a place between Hartford and Bridgeport now.” The pro hockey map Dmowski has just begun. NOTES: A story has been was broken by the Rangers long-time beat writer Larry Brooks of the New York Post on Thursday that Glen Sather’s stepping down as Rangers President. Sather's retirement makes an already complicated offseason going to be a palace of intrigue as to where the deck chairs will fall. With Sather’s departure, expect Jim Schoenfeld, who held the post as Hartford GM for 10 years and was a head coach for one and who has been Sather’s right-hand man, will likely also get a golden parachute by either retirement or might find another new gig. The question now is who will be promoted or hired to take the upper echelon reigns? Jeff Gorton, Sather's hand-picked successor, is the present GM. Will he make the move upstairs or add this role to his portfolio? Chris Drury, the present assistant GM, and Hartford GM, could he be promoted? Will there be an overhaul of the entire Rangers scouting staff, professional North America, Europe, and amateur by a new team President? How will the Wolf Pack be affected? They're on the verge of a potential sub-par, below .500 season. What will happen with its coaching staff? How will a future team President feel about Hartford and the unresolved XL Center business? The Rangers also have serious player-personnel decisions to make in New York and Hartford in relation to next year’s cap space and with a looming potential labor stoppage in two years, and yes, the expansion draft in three years when Seattle enters the NHL family. Many questions to be answered over the next three and half months in preparation for the NHL Draft in Vancouver on the organization direction under a new regime. Read more HERE NEWS & NOTES This next story is without a doubt the best hockey story of the year. Former AHL player and now Pro Scout for the Arizona Coyotes, Craig Cunningham, who nearly died two years before an AHL game in Tucson, and by the true Grace of God is still among us, released a video showing him skating with his prosthetic leg at the San Diego Gulls practice facility. It was simply amazing, spectacular great news for a young man who suffered so much and has triumphed in the most outstanding way. Hope he gets some shifts in a game in a league where there isn’t as much hitting or contact-like in the Asia League Ice Hockey (ALIH) or in Australia (AIHL) and New Zealand (NZIHL) to end his career as a player, not as a heart attack victim. Read more HERE Despite having the same last name, the reporter in that story is of no relation. With the arrival of McBride, and Zerter-Gossage, plus Quinnipiac’s Brandon Fortunato signing with Nashville (NHL), the number of Division I players that have signed is up to 150 and that the total number of college players that have signed over the past month is 168. The first college coach signing as Chris Bergeron after nine season leaves the Bowling Green Falcons (WCHA) to take the reigns of his alma mater Miami (OH) RedHawks (NCHC). Bergeron, graduated in 1993 when the school won its first conference title (CCHA at that time) and made their first NCAA tournament appearance. The NCAA announced the three finalists for the Hobey Baker Award that will be given out in Buffalo next weekend at the site of the NCAA’s Frozen Four. It's a hat trick of finalists for the Hobey Baker Award. All three finalists are defensemen. Senior Jordan Schuldt, St. Cloud State Huskies (NCHC) who just signed an NHL free agent deal with the Vegas Golden Knights. The second is junior Adam Fox of Harvard who is a Carolina Hurricanes draft pick who is weighing whether to sign or wait another year and go the free agent route. Then there's UMASS-Amherst Minutemen sophomore Cale Makar, a Colorado Avalanche draft pick who is likely to go pro after next weekend. A unique college commit right from a CT prep school in Cooper Moore (Cos Cob) Brunswick School (Greenwich) with North Dakota (NCHC). Overseas we see former Whaler great Sami Kapanen retains his franchise owner and Chairman of the Board title with KalPa Kuopio (Finland-FEL) but relinquished his head coaching duties to take the job as head coach with HC Lugano (Switzerland-LNA) in the fall. His son Kasperi skated with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Ex-Sound Tiger goalie, C.J. Motte, who has played most of the season with Allen (ECHL) and some games with Iowa signs with HC Innsbruck (Austria-EBEL) for next season. Philippe Hudon, who played prep school hockey at Choate Rosemary Hall (Wallingford) after finishing his Canadian collegiate career with the Concordia Stingers (Montreal) (OUAA0 played 14 games with seven points for Florida (ECHL) was loaned to Laval (AHL). Read the full article

[angelinasway]

Regaining Hope

Chapter Four

Pairing: Clark Kent/Buffy Summers Warnings/Triggers:Torture, Violence, Mention's of Major Character Death, Bad Language, Sexual Tension, Eventual Smut Summary: Takes place during Man of Steel. When Buffy discovers the U.S Military trying to keep quiet about an object buried in a twenty thousand year old glacier, she immediately thinks the worst. However, when a surprise visit to the Canadian Arctic puts her in the path of a mysterious stranger her whole world is changed forever.

Previous Chapters: [Chapter One] [Chapter Two] [Chapter Three]

[TTH] [AO3] [FFN]

Authors Notes: All right for the lyrics in this chapter belong to both MSMR and Audioslave. I really enjoyed writing this chapter, especially the beginning and end scenes. I hope you all enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Once again you all are getting this a bit early because I will be out of town on Saturday again. Trying to find the music choices for this chapter was a pain but I think I picked the perfect songs. Please let me know what you all think. I'm really excited for the feedback on this one. Also thank you to my wonderful beta Hipkarma for giving this chapter a look for me. Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Chapter Four

 Buffy screamed in surprise, quickly wrapping her legs around his waist and throwing her arms around his neck. Her heart galloped in her chest and her stomach dropped at the sudden sensation of quickly shooting into the air. Her eyes slammed shut and she buried her face into the crook of his neck, breathing him in. He smelled like a summer storm and recently mowed grass, the scent the only thing keeping her from panicking completely. She had to keep reminding herself that he was strong, that he wouldn’t drop her.

 “Oh my god,” She whispered. “Oh. My. God!” She said again, this time louder. “You…you can fly?”

 She felt his chest rumble in amusement. “You’re not scared, are you?”

 “W–who me?” She said shakily, “N–no, just w–wasn’t expecting it is all.”

 “Buffy, look at me,” he said softly, his free arm running soothingly along her back.

 She cautiously pulled her face away from where she had buried it, slowly opening her eyes and meeting his amused ones. In the night sky they almost looked black and if she hadn’t been so frightened, she might have been able to admire them this close.

 “Now,” He said calmly, giving her a crooked smile “I promise not to let you fall. Do you trust me?”

 She nodded, swallowing her fear. It wasn’t so much the height that was scaring her, it was the loss of control. She was putting her safety in someone else’s hands and that was something she rarely did.

 She nodded again. “Yes,” she breathed.

 His smile softened. “Now, look down.” She opened her mouth to argue, but he shook his head, “You’re safe, I promise.”

 Buffy slowly turned her head and lowered her eyes, realizing that they were almost hovering in midair above the city. She gasped, her fear melting away into awe. “It’s…it’s beautiful.”

 The view was spectacular, the twinkling lights from above the city looked almost like the Disneyland electric parade. Colors of purple, blue, yellows, and whites illuminating the night sky.

 “Yes, it is,” He agreed quietly.

 Something in his tone made her look up and when she met his eyes, he wasn’t looking at the view. He was looking at her. She gulped, her cheeks heating up as she realized the position they were in. Her legs locked firmly around his waist in a caricature of a lovers embrace.

 The mood shifted, she felt it the moment it happened but she didn’t dare move. She knew he felt it too, from this close she could feel his breathing pick up the same way hers was. She watched him swallow nervously and even though it was dark, she could see fear shining in his eyes. She felt them begin a slow decent but she couldn’t tear her eyes away from his. She didn’t understand what he was afraid of. She knew where her fears stemmed from. She could write a book on the abandonment issues she had, but he never said anything about…and that’s when it occurred to her. He’d never let anyone in before because of who and what he was.

 Her eyes softened in understanding. He was a virgin, probably never even been kissed before. She leaned forward and pressed her lips against his cheek, giving him an awkward hug as she laid her head on his shoulder. Letting him know that she understood.

 He must have gotten the message because he sighed, both arms tightening around her as he laid his head on top of hers. “Thank you,” he whispered reaching his free hand up to stroke her hair.

 Buffy only nodded closing her eyes as they made the rest of the trip back to earth in silence. When they landed, they were in the training yard of the school and Clark gently helped her back on her feet. He looked at her sadly as if he wanted to apologize and she shook her head reaching up to cup his cheek. Her thumb stroking along the sharp edge.

 “I wanted to thank you too.” She whispered.

 “For,” He asked gruffly, emotion clogging his voice even if he was good at hiding it outwardly.

 “For showing me something beautiful.” And this time it was she who was not speaking of the view.

 His eyes closed and he placed his hand over hers, squeezing it. “You’re an incredible woman Buffy Summers. I hope you know that.”

 She swallowed and shook her head, not really knowing how to respond. She certainly didn’t feel incredible, but she wasn’t about to ruin the moment by voicing that. He opened his eyes watching her as he brought her hand down to place a reverent kiss on her palm, before letting her hand go and stepping back.

 “We should probably–” He started to say.

 “Yeah,” She nodded breathily. “Yeah, we should.”

 ****<S>**<S>****

 After a bit of awkwardness and some stolen looks full of longing Buffy and Clark finally made it out the door and back into the night. He was finding it harder and harder to keep his eyes off of her. What she had given him...the understanding and compassion she had shown. It was almost too much to believe. She seemed to know without even trying exactly what he needed in that moment and he didn't think he could ever feel more grateful to anyone than he did with her right then.

 He reached out and grasped her hand without thinking. Their fingers entwined, and she looked at him a blush rising to her cheeks and a smile lighting her eyes. He could get used to that look.

 She led him down a dark alley and together they stepped through the doors of what looked to be an unassuming bar. Clark blinked in surprise as he entered the place. It was decorated as a lounge club with low lighting that set a comfortable ambience.

 A flamboyantly dressed, bright green demon, with red eyes and horns spotted them almost immediately. 

 "Sunshine!" He said in greeting, walking over to where they stood and kissing Buffy on the cheek. 

 She returned the greeting giving him a hug. "It’s good to see you Lorne, how have you been?"

 He shrugged, "What can I say, never any rest for a man of showbiz." He waved her off, "But enough about me. Look at you! The sparkle in those eyes, the smile. It couldn't have anything to do with this strapping young buck you've yet to introduce me to, could it?"

 Buffy blushed, giving Clark an apologetic smile. "Lorne this is Clark.” She waved her hand, “Clark, Lorne.”

 He reached out and shook the demon’s hand. “Nice to meet you.”

 “Oh, and polite too!” Lorne gushed. “I’ll tell you what, out of all the beings that have ever walked into my life with the giant flashing destiny sign above their head. I think you’re my favorite.”

 Clark and Buffy looked at each other in confusion and Lorne chuckled. “Wes called,” he explained. “Though, I would have known you were important just from the aura you’re giving off my friend. I’ve seen it on far too many Champions before.”  He sighed. “So, this is how it works. I need you to sing for me.”

 “Lorne,” Buffy warned.

 He held up a finger and waved it at her, “Ah, ah, ah, princess. Let me say my peace and then he can decide.” Lorne turned back to Clark, putting his arm around his shoulder like they were old friends. “Now, normally I wouldn’t be so insistent. In fact, if I never heard the words prophecy or Champion in the same sentence again, I would be a happy demon.” He sighed, looking sadly at Buffy, “But the prophecy’s not just about you. It’s also about her, our little immortal Slayer here who’s been through way too much pain and heartache to watch another Champion go off the rails. So, for my peace of mind, please let those pipes rip. Good, bad, it doesn't matter. If only she sings, I won't be able to get the full picture."

 As much as Clark absolutely despised the idea of making a fool out of himself up on that stage; where, at the moment some weird demon with slimy antlers was doing a horrible rendition of We Are the World, he could see that Lorne was just looking out for Buffy like an older brother would. And if it would help Buffy, he would do it.

 He sighed, "I'm gonna need more than a few drinks before I can do that."

 Lorne smiled, "Good man." He said patting Clark on the back and then calling to the bartender. "Charlie, drinks are on the house for these two tonight."

 As he and Buffy moved to find a table, he noticed her smirking. “Told you.” She said, reminding him of her parting words the other day.

 He rolled his eyes and shook his head, not giving her the satisfaction of a response.

 ****<S>**<S>****

 "Wait, wait, wait. So, your mom and Watcher got turned into their teenage selves?" Clark said laughing. "And you caught them making out on a cop car?"

 They had been doing this for an hour now. Trading stories about their lives. Clark had told her about the school bus, and she had told him about some of her funnier moments as a Slayer. Like her friend almost being eaten by a giant praying mantis substitute teacher in her sophomore year, and now they were discussing an incident that happened in her senior year.

 She giggled and nodded, "And apparently I just interrupted what was about to be a third performance." She shook her head, "Didn't find out about that until later though, when I was infected with demon blood and started hearing everyone's thoughts."

 Clark chuckled, "That must have been traumatizing."

 "She called him a stevedore in her head. You can bet your sweet ass it was traumatizing." She said seriously, and then broke down in giggles when he started cackling. “To be honest, to this day I still don’t know what that means. I was always too afraid to look it up.”

 Clark shook his head. “I think it’s just a dockworker.” He said in between chuckles. “But I think she was referring to his,” Clark cleared his throat, “staying power.”

 Buffy’s face scrunched up adorably. “Oh, gross.”

 "What we miss?" Gunn said, arriving with Faith in tow. He pulled out a chair for her and then took the one next to it.

 Buffy grinned, "Just telling Clark about the time all the adults in Sunnydale got turned into their teenage selves."

 "Ah," Faith acknowledged. "The famous band candy incident. Didn't your mom boink Giles when that happened?"

 Buffy chuckled, "As I was just saying."

 Gunn snorted, “You know that happened to us once.” All three of the other occupants at the table raised their eyebrows. Gunn chuckled. “I mean reverting back to our teenage selves, not the boinking part.”

 “I didn’t know about that.” Buffy said.

 “Yeah,” Gun said a smile gracing his lips before it quickly faded. His eyes suddenly getting haunted. He shook his head and sighed sadly.

 “Babe, what’s wrong?” Faith asked, immediately noticing the change in Gunn.

 Gunn sighed. “Just bad memories.” He stood, “I’m gonna go get myself a drink. You want your usual?”

 Faith looked at him sadly, “I’ll come with you.” She said, sliding out of her seat and following.

 Buffy watched them go a sad look in her eyes. She sighed, looking back at Clark and taking a sip of vodka and cranberry before saying, “Sorry, about that. We’ve all been through a lot over the years, any reminders will easily cause a reaction like that.” Her eyes followed them over to the bar and a soft smile came over her. “Though gotta say, never thought I’d see the day when that girl would settle down. It’s weird seeing her be sweet sometimes.”

 “Yeah,” Clark agreed his eyes following hers over to the bar. Faith was looking up at Gunn lovingly a hand running down his cheek. “She didn’t really strike me as the settling down type on first impression.”

 “Oh, trust me,” Buffy said, chuckling. “If she and Gunn didn’t have their thing, you’d have had to beat her off with a stick. She’s always been a very want-take-have type of girl.” She shrugged, finishing off her drink before saying, “But being with Gunn’s calmed a lot of that. They just kinda get each other, you know?”

 “Yeah,” He sighed, giving her a meaningful look. “I get it.” Clark finished off his beer, “You want another, I’m dry.”

 She smiled and nodded. “Normally I would say no, but since I’ll be singing tonight, I’ll need about two more.

 Clark chuckled, standing. “Yeah,” he said. “I’ll probably need about the same.”

 He walked over to the bar and place his order, frowning when he overheard one of the demons say to Buffy, “Hey, Slayer. Who’s the boytoy, smells powerful?”

 “Wouldn’t you like to know.” She answered, her voice condescending.

 “Aw come on Slayer.” Another demon said. “He definitely ain’t human, but he ain’t a demon either.”

 He could practically hear her roll her eyes at the demons from here. Her voice huffing in annoyance. “Drop it boys, you’ll find out soon enough.”

 The bartender passed him his drinks and as Clark returned to their table, he finally paid attention to the demons around him. Only to realize most of them were watching him, some with curiosity others with the undeniable look of hunger.

 “Everything all right?” He asked sitting down and sliding her drink over to her.

 “Yeah,” She nodded, “Just some of the demons can smell that you’re not human.”

 “Who’s not human?” Gunn said, sliding back in his seat.

 “Clark’s not.” Faith answered, flipping her chair around and straddling it. “Isn’t that, right?” At Clark’s surprised look, she chuckled. “My first clue was the fact that you’re already head over for our little princess here. Only an O.W. could fall that quickly for little Miss Muffet.”

 Clark frowned, “What’s a–”

 “An otherworldly,” Gunn cut in. “Hold up,” he said, studying Clark more closely. “You’re not?”

 Buffy and Clark exchanged a look, before he sighed. “No,” He admitted. “I’m not.”

 “You a demon?” Gunn asked.

 “I’d actually say he’s more like a god,” Faith cut in. “But without the high and mighty arrogance we normally see.” She snorted, when his eyes widened. “Second clue was you brushing by when we left. Damn boy, you got some real juice in you.”

 “I’m not a–” Clark started, but Buffy put her hand on his.

 “We have ears all around this room. Be careful what you say.” She whispered lowly. “If you want to tell them when we get back, that’s okay. You can trust them. I wouldn’t recommend doing it here though.”

 He smiled at her protectiveness but he was well aware that they were being listened too. A few of the demons were even leaning towards them trying to eavesdrop.

 “I know,” he said just as softly, meeting her eyes.

 Faith had heard both of them and raised an eyebrow. Gunn hadn’t though, and he was looking at Clark warily.

 “I’m honestly surprised Wes didn’t tell you; he certainly wasn’t that tight lipped with Lorne.” Buffy said.

 Faith frowned. “Tell us what? He just said you were meeting with a new recruit you met on a mission.”

 Buffy sighed looking at Clark for permission to tell them about the prophecy. He shrugged in response. Considering they didn’t even know what it said, he saw no harm in her telling them.

 “There’s a prophecy about a new Champion.” She answered

 Gunn shot to his feet, “Aw hell naw!” He held up his hands looking at Clark, “No offence bro, but the last one tried to eat me.”

 Okay so maybe there was a little harm. He was now eyeing Gunn warily. He certainly didn’t mean to frighten the guy.

 Buffy just rolled her eyes, “Sit down Gunn.”

 “But–” He started.

 “He’s not a demon or a vamp,” She ground out. “Now sit down, before I put you in your seat.”

 He grumbled a little bit but sat down nonetheless, crossing his arms and glaring at the table. Now Clark just felt like a jerk. He didn’t want Buffy’s friends to dislike him, but he couldn’t help feel bad for the way Buffy just spoke to the guy.

 "Buffy, it’s okay." He said quietly.

 She shook her head, meeting his eyes. "No its not. You're gonna be facing enough judgment if it got out what you are. I won't have my friends being a part of that crowd too."

 Faith frowned, "Hell, now I really am curious."

 "Let just say he's nothing we've ever seen before." Buffy said. "And," she added, looking at Gunn. "He grew up with human parents. He has a soul, and I'm pretty sure he was born with it. So, there's a lot less a chance of him losing it."

 Clark blinked in surprise, frowning. "How do you know?"

 "That you have a soul?" she asked, smiling at him softly. At his nod she explained. "Because I've been around enough soulless creatures in my life to tell the difference." She reached out her hand again and placed it on his. "If this was a charade you wouldn't have been able to keep it up this long. Not even Angelus could pull off something like that for this long, and he was a hell of an actor when he wanted to be."

 "She's right, you know?" Faith said nodding at Buffy, while looking at Clark. "There's an innocence, a sweetness about you that demons really don't have."

 Gunn sighed, "Yeah," he agreed, finishing off his beer. "It’s why I assumed you were human."

 Clark sighed, he’d never really thought about things like that before. "It never occurred to me that's why I care so much."

 Buffy smiled at him, "It’s not. That's all you. A soul is simply your consience It’s what prevents us from mass murder and mayhem. It’s that little voice that says "No" when were tempted to do something we shouldn't. Some people can ignore it and others take drugs or alcohol to dull it but it’s always there."

 Clark smirked, taking a drink off his beer. "I always assumed the voice was just my dad drilling into me that I needed to hide. That no one could find out."

 Buffy sighed, "Well our parents definitely help shape us into who we're going to be, but at the end of the day it’s the choices we make that really dictates that." She nodded, "For instance, had you not saved your classmates. Had you made the choice to let all of them die you wouldn't be who you are today."

 "No," He agreed. " I would be a hell of a lot more screwed up."

 "And you would have been following what your father wanted." She added. "But you didn't. You risked your secret because you couldn't live with idea of them dying. That's your conscience. That's your soul."

 "So, what you're saying is, it’s not about caring it’s about what I can live with?" He clarified.

 Gunn sighed, "Yeah," He agreed. "That pretty much sums it up."

"And what happens if you do something you can't live with?" Clark asked curiously.

 All three of them looked at each other knowingly and Buffy sighed. "You have to live with it anyway.” She whispered, before adding. “And a lot of the time it makes it easier for us to fall."

 Faith finished off her Jack and coke before saying, "They don't call it hitting rock bottom for nothing."

 "Yeah," Gunn agreed. He looked at Clark. "How is it that you are supposed to be the next Champion and you don't know any of this."

 Clark sighed, looking at Buffy. She smiled encouragingly and he shrugged. "I didn't exactly grow up around this kind of stuff."

 "Where'd you grow up?" Faith asked.

 "In Kansas, on a farm." He answered.

 Both Faith and Gunn snorted. "That explains it." Gunn said.

 Clark chuckled, "Where'd you guys grow up?"

 Faith smiled, "I’m from Boston and Gunn grew up in L.A.”

 “Both of those cities are a hell of a lot bigger than Smallville. I imagine you guys learned about this stuff pretty young.” Clark said.

 Gunn nodded, “Yeah, learned about vamps when I was a kid. Me and my sis were in and out of foster care a lot and we would run away sometimes. Found out real quick not to trust anyone, no matter how nice they seemed.”

 Clark frowned his heart going out to him, “How old were you?”

 “I was thirteen and my sis was ten. Two years later we ran away permanently from a pretty bad home and joined a crew. Started hunting vamps on the daily, and by the time I met Angel I had been the leader for going on almost five years.” He sighed, “After I lost Alonna though... I was kinda on a self-destructive path.” He smiled and looked at Buffy. “It was Cordy who set me straight, offered to help me.”

 Buffy looked at the table sadly, running her finger through the condensation from her glass. “I would have liked to of known that version of Cordy. I think we would have gotten along a lot better than we did in high school.”

 Gunn sighed and looked down at his bottle, “Yeah, she would have liked you too.” He shook his head. “She was the real deal and she didn’t take shit from no one, not even Angel.”

 “What happened?” Clark asked. He remembered Buffy saying something about her dying and Angel possibly being corrupted after that.

 “What’s with all the long faces?” Lorne said coming up to the table. “Come on you guys, you’re scaring away the clientele.”

 Buffy sighed, “Sorry Lorne, just got caught up reminiscing about Cordy.”

 Lorne’s eyes immediately clouded over at the mention of the woman. He sighed sadly shaking his head. “The glue that held our little family together back in L.A. Oh, how I wish I could have seen what was coming sooner.”

 Gunn gestured at Clark, “Our new Champion here was just asking what happened to her. Unfortunately, that’s not a question I can answer without drinking at least half the bar.” He looked back at Lorne. “You tell him, I’m gonna go get us another round.” He completely surprised Clark then by saying, “You having the same?”

 Clark nodded, smiling gratefully at the man for seeming to already be over whatever misgivings he had. “Yeah, thanks.”

 As Gunn walked away Lorne garnered Clark’s full attention by grabbing a free chair from a nearby table and sitting down, “You really did have to ask a loaded question like that, didn’t you?”

 ****<S>**<S>****

 He was well into his fifth beer when Buffy made her way onto the stage. He finally understood the whole story now. That Angel had fallen in love with a woman named Cordelia Chase, who'd been tricked by a Powers minion, who was secretly working for a Higher Being named Jasmine. He also learned that Cordelia had given Angel a final message before her death. One that they all assumed was to help him take out Wolfram and Hart. They suspected that he decided to go at it alone rather than trust his team. None of them knew how he lost his soul, but Lorne suspected they locked him in a hell dimension until he broke making it easier to extract.

 Willow apparently tried to re-ensoul him even after Angelus had killed Buffy's Watcher Giles, but whatever wards had been placed around the containment were unbreakable. After they had found one of the younger missing Slayers brutally raped, murdered, and strung up like a religious effigy outside of one of their safehouses, no one cared to try any longer. Not even Faith who had loved Angel like a brother before everything went down. Both Buffy and Faith had volunteered to get refills when that particular topic came up. The guilt in both their eyes unmistakable.

 They were now on to much lighter topics. Lorne and Gunn reminiscing about Pylea, Lorne’s home world, and how the demons there had made Cordelia queen because of her visions.

 However, when Buffy stepped up to the microphone both men quieted. Gunn smirked at Clark, “Watch this man. She always picks a song that makes the demons lose their minds.”

 Lorne smirked, “Don’t tell her this, but I always try to get her to sing when she’s in town. She brings in the clientele.”

 Faith snorted, “As if she doesn’t already know.”

 The music came up and Clark noticed the utter silence in the bar, every demon in the place eyes were focused on the stage. He frowned not recognizing the song as he watched her eyes roam around the room, landing on his for a second before she closed them and started singing.

 ‘Didn't know what this would be But I knew I didn't see What you thought You saw in me’

 Her voice rang out hauntingly and Clark was absolutely mesmerized. Her eyes opened and a small smile played on her lips as she scanned the room and sang.

 ‘I jumped the gun So sure you'd split and run Ready for the worst Before the damage was done’

 ‘Oho oho oho oh’

 She hummed into the mic as one of the demons made the mistake of asking a question and half the demons in the room growled for him to shut up. One even suggesting something Clark was pretty sure was anatomically impossible. They were demons however, so he wasn’t actually positive on that note.

 ‘The storm never came Or it never was Didn't know getting lost in the blue It meant I wound up losing you’

  “I swear she gets better every time she comes here.” Gunn murmured lowly.

 Faith snorted, “I think she practices.”

 Clark’s eyes however were firmly set on Buffy, he couldn’t look away if he tried. When the chorus came up her small smile widened knowingly, her hips swaying to the beat.

 ‘Welcome to the inner workings of my mind So dark and foul I can't disguise Can't disguise Nights like this I become afraid Of the darkness in my heart Hurricane’

 Half the demons started clapping and whistling. A few even calling out things like, “Sing it Slayer,” or “Hell yeah.” It was almost comical, these creatures supposed to be her enemy showing her respect as she sang a song about being too jaded a lover too many times. Her eyes landed on him next and he swallowed as she sang.

 ‘What's wrong with me Why not understand and see I never saw What you saw in me Keep my eyes open My lips sealed My heart closed And my ears peeled’

 He found himself grinning as he watched her close her eyes as the chorus came up. Her voice floating over the room as her foot tapped to the beat.

 ‘Welcome to the inner workings of my mind So dark and foul I can't disguise Can't disguise Nights like this I become afraid Of the darkness in my heart Hurricane’

 When the next verse came up, even Faith and Gunn started clapping and cat calling along with most of the demons as she made a gesture as if she staked her heart. Her voice going up high for the first two lines.

 ‘Make ash and leave the dust behind Lady diamond in the sky Oh, Wild light Oh, Glowing bright To guide me When I fall I fall on tragedy’

 She was grinning now and her cheeks were pink, most likely from the praise as she sang the chorus one more time.

 ‘Welcome to the inner workings of my mind So dark and foul I can't disguise Can't disguise Nights like this I become afraid Of the darkness in my heart Hurricane’

 When the song ended the entire bar was on their feet, clapping and yelling. Clark chuckled at the modest bow she gave and as she came off the stage and towards their table, he swallowed realizing it was now his turn.

 He stood up and pushed his fear aside and as he passed her, he whispered, “How am I supposed to top that.”

 Buffy grinned and winked. “I have faith in you.”

 ****<S>**<S>****

 Buffy sat down at the table still grinning from the praise she just received from Clark.

 “Damn B,” Faith said, “If you didn’t want him to love you before. I’m pretty sure he does now.”

 Gunn chuckled, “I’m pretty sure the boy was drooling at one point.”

 And Lorne just looked at her giving nothing away, only saying. “Very interesting.”

 Buffy blushed but didn’t respond, her eyes following Clark onto the stage. When the music came up her eyes widened in realization of what he was about to sing and she swallowed. If he could pull off a voice like Chris Cornell’s there was a very good chance, she would jump him by the end of the night. Even Faith froze in recognition of the song, her eyes riveted on the stage. When he started to sing however both their mouths fell open. He couldn’t just pull off the voice, he sounded just like him.

 “Holy shit!” Buffy whispered as he sang the first verse, his eye meeting hers.

 ‘Someone falls to pieces Sleeping all alone Someone kills the pain Spinning in the silence She finally drifts away Someone gets excited In a chapel yard Catches a bouquet Another lays a dozen White roses on a grave’

 Both Faith and Buffy jumped up and started clapping when his voice got harder and gravelly as he extended the last word of the verse before the chorus came up, closing his eyes.

"Damn!" Gunn exclaimed laughing. "Boy’s got some pipes on him.”

 ‘And to be yourself is all that you can do To be yourself is all that you can do’

 A huge smile broke along her lips and she clapped again. "Sing it Clark!" She yelled as Faith put two fingers between her lips and blew. Some of the demons were even nodding their heads.

 She watched his lips turn up in a happy smile and she giggled. Clapping again as he sang the next verse. She was so impressed with him right now. Their eyes locked and she felt her pulse race at the heated look he was giving her.

 ‘Someone finds salvation in everyone Another only pain Someone tries to hide themself Down inside himself he prays Someone swears their true love Until the end of time Another runs away separate or united Healthy or insane’

 Buffy was jarred away from his stare by Faith, a delighted smile on the brunette’s face as she said, “Come on B, let’s dance. It’s not everyday someone sings something decent in here.”

 They both heard Lorne mutter something, and started giggling as they bounced and swayed next to their table. Gunn just laughing and shaking his head at their antics.

 “I think both you girls have had enough to drink tonight.” He said snickering.

 ‘And to be yourself is all that you can do, all that you can do To be yourself is all that you can do, all that you can do To be yourself is all that you can do, all that you can do Be yourself is all that you can do’

 The guitar solo came on and Clark closed his eyes, his head going down and bobbing to the beat. Buffy spun, clapping and that’s when her eyes landed on Lorne. He had a sad smile on his face, his eyes were solemn as they watched Clark. Sympathy and maybe even pity shining through.

 “Lorne what is it?” She asked.

 He sighed, looking down. “He’s just genuinely a good guy. I feel sorry for what he’s about to go through.” He looked at her. “Normally, when I read someone there’s something you know, some skeleton or sin they’ve got locked up somewhere that they can’t hide from me. But him…he truly is a pure soul.”

 Buffy looked back up at Clark watching him sing the final verse, a ball of guilt slowly growing in her stomach. She swallowed, maybe bringing him into her world wasn’t such a good idea after all.

 Even when you've paid enough Been pulled apart Or been held up Every single memory of The good or bad, faces of love Don't lose any sleep tonight I'm sure everything will end up alright You may win or lose

 “Do you…do you think we should back off?” Buffy whispered.

 Lorne shook his head, “I think that would be the worst thing you could do.” He nodded at Clark as he sang began the final chorus. “He’s going to need you more than ever in the coming weeks. Anything you can teach him or train him, do it. It won’t be long before he can’t hide who he is any longer.”

 Buffy’s eyes locked onto Clark’s and he frowned when he saw the look on her face, but she shook her head and smiled, clapping.

‘But to be yourself is all that you can do To be yourself is all that you can do To be yourself is all that you can do, all that you can do To be yourself is all that you can do, all that you can do To be yourself is all that you can Be yourself is all that you can Be yourself is all that you can do’

 As he finished the song, they all clapped and cat called. A few of the demons even patting him on the back as he walked off stage.

 Lorne stood, looking back at Buffy, “I’m going to talk to him first. I’ll have him send you in when I’m done.”

 She nodded, watching Lorne go as he intercepted Clark before he reached their table. Her eyes following them as they disappeared into the back room. An arm suddenly wrapped around her shoulders, Faith smiling at her knowingly.

 “He’ll be alright.” She said, shaking Buffy out of her stupor.

 Buffy sighed, “I know, I just worry.”

 Faith snorted, “Yeah, so much so the rest of us don’t have to.”

 Buffy rolled her eyes, taking her seat. Maybe Faith was right and she was worrying for nothing, but then she remembered Lorne’s words and her worry only intensified.

 ****<S>**<S>****

 Lorne pulled Clark into a sound proof room at the back of the bar. He sat behind a large oak desk, steepling his fingers under his chin and studied him for what felt like a long time, before he sighed.

 "Well, it’s official," Lorne started. "You're definitely him."

 Clark swallowed nervously, sitting down in the chair across from Lorne. "What did you see?"

 "It’s going to get harder, before it gets easier." He answered seriously. "You're going to have to face the type of trials every Champion must, and you're going to have to make some decisions you would really prefer not to." He sighed, "But all in all kid, you're in pretty good hands. I saw two possible futures for you and I gotta say, out of both of them this one has much more of a chance of the happy ending everyone hopes for."

 “What…what do you mean?” He asked.

 “My guess is, this prophecy Wes is so eager to find out about has two possible outcomes. One where you fall in love with Buffy and one where you kill her.”

 Clark’s eyes widened the color draining from his face, “No…no I couldn’t.” He whispered.

 “And, that you feel that way already is exactly why you won’t.” Lorne responded, sitting back in his chair and crossing his arms. “You know, soul mates are a funny thing Clark, everyone has at least one and most people rarely meet them.” Lorne nodded, “You my friend, happen to have two. Buffy just happened to come along first. It’s why you’re so drawn to her.”

 “So, what you’re saying is,” Clark cut in frowning in confusion. “Had I met this other woman I would have killed Buffy,” That was just about the stupidest thing he’d ever heard.

 Lorne laughed, “It’s not quite as cut and dry as that.” He shook his head, “No, losing this other woman would have opened you up to something that you fear more than anything.”

 He swallowed, his eyes moving to the floor in sudden understanding. “Something gets control of me.”

 “Yes,” Lorne said simply.

 “And I…I kill Buffy?” He shook his head. “What…what gets a hold of me?”

 “I’m not sure.” Lorne answered honestly, “When it’s that far ahead I only get flashes. I can tell you though…what you could become…there would be no coming back from it.”

 “And if I meet this woman now that I’ve already met Buffy?” He asked.

 “I think you already know the answer to that question.” Lorne sighed. “You’re a one-woman man Clark. If you met her today you would most likely feel an attraction to her, but that would be all.”

 Clark looked down, “How do I prevent it?”

 Lorne smiled sadly. “Stick close to Buffy. You’re going to need her more than you know in the coming month.”

 Clark frowned, “What do you mean?”

 “Somethings coming, and its coming for you. Your time for hiding is almost over.” Lorne answered ominously.

 Okay now he was starting to get annoyed, “You’re not going to tell me?”

 “You’ll know when it happens.” Lorne said. “In the meantime, I recommend enjoying the time you have until then.”

 Clark frowned, “If you know then why can’t you tell me?”

 “Because sometimes people find their best selves under extreme circumstances.” Lorne answered. “Warning you would help you prepare, but it wouldn’t help you find the strength in yourself that you’re going to need.”

 His frown deepened but he didn’t push anymore. He supposed he could understand Lorne’s reasoning. “Is that all?” He asked.

 “No,” Lorne said smirking. “There’s one more thing. You’ve got a lot of fears about intimacy and with a normal girl I would absolutely recommend caution, but you’re dealing with a Slayer here. You could throw her through a brick wall and she’d get up like nothing happened and punch you in the face. Your fears are unfounded. She’s one of the few women you don’t need to hold back with.”

 Clark felt his face heat up at the demon’s words, “Umm, okay.”

 Lorne’s smirk turned into a grin waving Clark off, “Now go on, and tell Buffy to come here. I do have other clients to see tonight.”

[punkeropercyjackson]

Jaysumm posts because i am down horrendous

@ammomancer @theautisticcentre @mayameanderings @asmashed-papaya @jellyjays @jellyfilledeyes @nogender-onlystars @someallpowerfulforce @willieoo

[jasontoddssuper]

Summer Kent title release dates and issue numbers

(Will also include his animateds and video games as i don't want to make a whole seperate post for that since it would feel too similar)

Sparks:Secret Origins-1983,ran for 66

The Last day Of Summer-1989,it's own special

Ember's Ashes-1989,ran for 156

Death of Superman-1992,it's own special

Reign of the Supermen-1993,it's own special

Steel and Superboy-1994,52 and 100 and he's an mc as John's protege and Kon's eldest sibling,mentor and mom figure

Robin,Batgirl(Cass' run)and Young Justice-1993,2000 and 1994,ran for 185,72 and 51 and is important to read the ones with him in them for context on his sisterly bonds with Stephanie,Cass and Cassie

Supergirls-2002,ran for 27

Ember/Red Hood-2006,ran for 33

We Are Robin-2007,ran for 12 issues and Duke becomes the 5th Robin at the end thanks to him

Batgirl(Stephanie's run)-2009,ran for 60 and appears enough to count as an mc

The Bird and The Dragon-2010,ran for 13

Red Hood and The Outlaws-2011,ran for 92

All New Teen Titans-2019,running for 55

New Ember Days-2024,will run for 64

Dead Sidekicks Force-2016,ran for 42

Wayne Family Adventures-2021,ongoing and he's major recurring character

Superman:The Animated Series-1996,was in various crossovers to Batman:The Animated series to show his friendship and eventual romance with Dick(Note:I specifically choose a verse where Jason dosen't exist and Summer is in Dick's generation to avoid creepiness)

Teen Titans(og cartoon)-2003,had 6 seasons and Dragon Rose and Pink Arrows are both canon to this verse,ending in a vee relathionship

Batman:Under The Red Hood-2010,movie adaption where he's the tritagonist like in the original comic

Injustice series-2013,two games and has him as The Eradicator on Clark's side and the sequel gives us Jaysumm as doomed soulmates

Lego DC Super Villains-2018,his legoverse debut

Lego Batman/Superman:Family Matters-2019,a mix between family sitcom and romcom(Jaysumm is the rom part ofc)

DC Superhero Girls reboot-2019,undetirmend number of seasons(but deserves at least 7)and has his Ember incarnation with a Black Lantern alter ego and Stephanie and Jason are the Batgirl and Robin here because they fit better than Babs and Dick(and Clark,Lois and Bruce get age lifts)

Red Hood and The Outlaws(Cartoon adaption)-2019,9 seasons,rated tv-14 in the same sense Fionna and Cake is and one of the weirdest cartoon's ever that's also praised as DC's best show.Has a chibi spinoff called Pocket Outlaws as of 2023

Lego DC:Ember-2020,a game of him as the protagonist and mashup of his various stories

Deaths in the summer-2020,movie adaption fusion of Ditf and Tlos that co-stars him and Jason

Summer Kent and His Spectacular Friends-2022,5 seasons and Summer is in his high school superhero cartoon protagonist era with a girlfantasy twist!The show puts a heavy focus on his girlhood(while still respecting his bigender transmascness)and relathionships with the other Superfam girls and other female Outlaws and has vibes and lore to it that you'd find in MLP and W.i.t.c.h.The only male characters who get consistant screentime are Clark,Jason,Eddie,Mathew(@theautisticcentre ),Thad and Lex

(I won't make this post even longer than it already is but he's also a major character in all the other Superkids' and Batkids' runs i created such as Kon's Power Boy,Mia's Supergirl,Duke's Signal and Cass' Batman and also Thad's Kid Flash!!)

[torentialtribute]

The inside story of England’s World Cup of woe in 1999

The last World Cup hero in England 20 years ago was a massive opportunity for cricket to put on a true carnival.

It turned into one of the worst of many England cricketing disasters that plagued the 1980s and 90s.

Sportsmail looks back at that doomed tournament through the eyes of the England coach at the time, David Lloyd, one of their players, Nasser Hussain, and our then cricket correspondent, Mike Dickson.

The coach

David Lloyd

TV personality Anneka Rice was hired by a domestic World Cup sponsor as an ambassador

That World Cup was the end of an era of under-achie cement by England. It was a watershed moment. It was the time English cricket realized we couldn't go the way we were.

Central contracts, which many of us wanted, were soon to come in and they were paid for by the first of the massive broadcasting deals with Sky that, whether people like it or not, have the biggest single reason for the huge improvement of our game.

We went into the 1999 World Cup playing catch-up with the rest of the world because of the system. To us at the time, it didn't seem like a major event from the moment the fireworks didn't really go off at the opening ceremony!

Contracts hadn't been issued to the players and we were stuck down in Kent for our training base when I wanted to be in Leicester because they had the best facilities. It would have been a convenient, centrally located, base.

It was while we were at Canterbury that Graham Thorpe decided he wasn't going to come to a dinner we were obliged to attend, and I'm reliably informed I was not very pleased at the time. Now I can laugh about it because Thorpey was always his own man!

People keep telling me about this World Cup song we had but I honestly had no idea we just had one, let alone that it only came out day after we were knocked out! I had other things to think about.

It was David Lloyd's fate as coach before he joined Sky, where he has remained for 20 years

But we should remember that after four matches we were sitting pretty having won three and it took a freak series of events to eliminate us at the first

One of the main reasons turned out to be our run-rate in victory against Kenya was not good enough. At the time we just thought about winning. Then our last match against India was rain affected and we got two shocking decisions against us.

Before we knew it, it was all over – the hosts were knocked out of their own tournament at the earliest possible opportunity.

At the end of it people simply packed their bags and went off to play for their counties. The players belong to them, not England.

It was a real low but it was then cricket got real and we sorted the game out. David Graveney, our chairman of selectors, had been caught between the devil and the deep blue sea.

He was trying to work hard for the team while appeasing the counties too. He was piggy in the middle. It was a no-win situation but he did a valiant job.

That was the lot for me as a coach. I had a meeting with the then chairman of the board, Ian MacLaurin, and told him I was happy to continue.

But he said they couldn't make a decision at that time. I'd had overtures from Sky and because I couldn't get any assurances from the board I thought the writing was on the wall.

So I plumped for Sky and 20 years on I couldn't be happier with the choice. But that doesn't stop me feeling sad when I think back to that summer of 1999.

The player

Nasser Hussain

I'd been outside the squad leading up to that tournament after my horror shot against Shane Warne in Sydney earlier that year – I came down the wicket and was stumped when well set – and I think Bumble and Graham Gooch, a selector at the time, had seen enough of me.

When I got a late call-up after Mike Atherton's back went I felt a bit on the periphery.

It was clear there were issues about player contracts, people weren't happy with the amount they were being paid for the World Cup and there was an air of chaos around the camp that Alec Stewart, as our captain, was getting dragged into.

Not least that night in Canterbury when my room-mate Graham Thorpe told me he wasn't going to an official dinner because he was fed up with it all.

Nasser Hussain got a late call-up to the squad after Mike Atherton suffered a back injury

"I got paid to play cricket, not go to dinners," he said.

I had to tell Bumble as we boarded the team bus and I tried to cover for Thorpey but the coach had a face like thunder and stormed back into the hotel and dragged him out of bed!

Then the day before the tournament, Stewie knocked on my door at the hotel about the road from lord's and told me they were leaving Nick Knight out and would like me to open.

I never opened for anyone, not even Ilford Cricket Club, and there I was opening in the first game of our home World Cup at Lord's!

I thought Alec was joking at first but I was quite happy to do it – it was a World Cup! If I was going to bat anywhere in white-ball cricket I was better off at the top because I didn't have the firepower to smash sixes later in the innings.

I did feel sorry for Nick because he was a friend and he'd opened for England for about three years.

I didn't even notice the vapor squib or a fireworks display before the first match because I was so consumed by the prospect of opening the batting, but that summed up the utter shambles the tournament was becoming.

Hussain had never opened before but was forced into the role for a home World Cup

We did OK in the first few matches and I scored a few runs until the wheels came off. Yes, perhaps we should have tried to beat Kenya quicker to get our run rate up but we just concentrated on getting over the line. In the end it was one of the things that cost us.

It was a shame because we had a pretty good side, but even then being pretty good wasn't enough. It was nothing like it is now. I was basically picked for the ODI side because I was a decent Test player.

Both Stewie and Bumble were unlucky to lose their jobs. Yes, Bumble had his moments but he was a fantastic coach to play for. He backed us to the hilt.

He loved us and we loved him. He was so loyal to his team and the way he was around the dressing room was magnificent.

Stewie had been in charge of a good series win over South Africa the year before and we'd not been far away from at least drawing the Ashes the previous winter but maybe the whole business with contracts did for him. It was harsh.

I was made captain but Alec had done nothing wrong. Lord MacLaurin made sure things improved for the players, central contracts came in and, in Test cricket at least, things started to slowly improve.

But it was all too late to make any difference to our World Cup.

The cricket correspondent

Mike Dickson

As now, there was a real hope that a World Cup in England could re-invigorate the sport.

The feeling among the media was that while England were not the strongest team, the absurdly early start date of May 14 would work in our favor with those conditions. It was not long before that optimism was petering out.

Strange to say, but the first herald of what was to come was TV personality Anneka Rice. She was hired by a domestic World Cup sponsor as an ambassador, with the aim of adding glamor and creating interest among women.

But in the February she gave a car-crash promotional interview at Lord's, describing cricket as' more boring than fishing.

She did, though, see the virtue of one-day cricket because, in her view, it is at least ensured to finish in time for an evening gin and tonic and the chance to watch Blind Date.

The main" spectacular "of the opening ceremony at Lord's was a limp fireworks display

Sponsors were already proving a problem. The ECB had set out to get eight major corporate backers but only managed to find four.

The pay dispute was rumbling away for some time. The team went to Sharjah in April to play a triangular tournament and a few journos were on the same plane to Dubai.

Alec Stewart pulled a couple of us aside to gauge what media sentiment was towards the players asking for more money.

I had the sense Alec felt he was already a marked man among the authorities, adding to the pressure he would have felt anyway as a captain for a home World Cup.

In the lead-up to the tournament there was a launch at the Lord's indoor school, which involved gathering together some B and C-List celebrities to talk about their love of cricket.

I recall a PR person walking around shouting excitedly that John Kettley (the weatherman) was in the building, along with some bloke from Neighbors I had not heard of.

This was where we were introduced to Dave Stewart of the Eurythmics.

Dave Stewart wrote the World Cup anthem that came out after England were knocked out

One of his songs, All Over The World had been ordered as the World Cup anthem, although he cheerfully admitted he had not written it with cricket in mind and was not a fan.

The curious video featured some patients at a psychiatric institution breaking out and invading a cricket ground. The underlying message seemed to be: If you like cricket, you might be mad.

Famously, it was released the day after England were knocked out, and was not exactly a chart smash.

Nasser's late call-up suggested the selectors had bottled it, and were over-cautious amid worries about Nick Knight's form.

Any controversy about this was compounded by the comically bad opening ceremony before England's match against Sri Lanka. Its start coincided with a cloud burst about Lord's, with the main 'spectacular' being a limp fireworks display and the dropping in or a couple of skydivers.

As the display was reaching its climax, the smoke from the fireworks blanked the huge windows of the media center and none of us could see a thing. To this day I have never heard such a roar or laughter in a press box.

England's early exit was hugely deflating after two wins from first two group games

The opening match was considered a 'must-win' so there was huge relief when England cantered to victory. Alan Mullally, who I had got to know quite well, was the star bowler and I bumped into him afterwards.

I made some comment that I expected there would be a bit of a team celebration that night, but he replied that everyone was going home for the weekend and had disappeared.

He ended up tagging along with me to the King's Road, where I was meeting my wife and some friends for a pizza.

England's early exit, on run-rate, was hugely deflating, the more so because after the first two group matches it looked almost impossible for them not to progress.

The dread only set in when Zimbabwe upset South Africa at Chelmsford.

I felt sorry for Bumble and Alec. Only a few months previously they were unlucky not to come away from the Ashes with a 2-2 draw against a strong Australian side.

The rest of the tournament was like watching the second week of Wimbledon in a year without any British left, except for much longer.

The semi-final at Edgbaston between Australia and South Africa was an all-time classic

While there were few great matches, it was lifted by the two between the Aussies and South Africa, at the group stage and in the semi-final.

That semi at Edgbaston was an all-time classic, going down to the last ball and the run-out mix-up between Allan Donald and Lance Klusener when one was needed for victory.

The final, though, was a total bust, about teatime as the Australians capped a remarkable comeback by crushing Pakistan.

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[isabellelambert1975]

Autumn garden ideas – what works beautifully and what doesn’t

This year’s autumn garden has taught me a lot about choosing plants for late-season colour.

The leaves of the Robinia frisia (False acacia) and the Cotinus coggyria ‘Grace’ are a splendid sight in my autumn garden.

I’ve always thought of trees and leaf colour as the defining element of an autumn garden. And usually we do have good late-season leaf colour.

But the weather in summer dictates much of your autumn leaf colour. This summer has been exceptional – long, hot and dry. My leaf colour is not as good as usual, so I have realised how much shrubs and perennials contribute to a beautiful autumn garden.

Trees for autumn colour

The most magnificent tree for colour in this garden is Cotinus coggyria ‘Grace’. It is stunning in spring and summer, with dark green-red leaves and fluffy clouds of flower. But in the autumn it is usually a blaze of fire-gold. This October a few branches have turned, but many of the leaves are dropping almost without changing colour.

This Cotinus leaf changes from dark green to this red, and usually eventually turns flame-coloured. For the first time in 15 years, this isn’t happening this year.

The trees in this garden have always been fantastic in autumn. But I think this means I’ve overlooked the importance of the other elements – the perennials and shrubs.

I recently interviewed garden designer and BBC Gardeners World presenter, Mark Lane. He travels around the UK a lot, and says that the long, hot summer has had a different impact in different parts of the UK. Autumn leaf colour is affected by how much sunshine and rain you get in the summer. He saw excellent autumn colour in the north of the UK, not much autumn colour in the Midlands and thinks that the South East  has been very variable.

In my garden, the leaves seem to be dropping without changing colour as much as usual.

Even here in Kent, there is good late-season tree colour in his garden, but not such vibrant hues in mine – and the two gardens are only half an hour apart.

The best flowers for autumn garden colour

Dahlias are great for autumn colour. The Rip City dahlia showing off its elegant outlines

Dahlias, asters (most now called symphotricum) and sedum are all flowering in my garden now. But I have missed a trick by not having rudbeckia, gaura and penstemon. Japanese anemones are often recommended for autumn colour, but ours are over.

And perhaps it’s just me, but echinacea- another oft-recommended autumn favourite – never survives long in this garden. I have just planted some persicaria, given to me by a friend, and am looking forward to their impact on next year’s autumn garden.

However several roses are on their second burst of flowering – the Bonica roses in the front garden, and Burgundy Ice in the main border.

Bonica roses and Nerine bowdenii bulbs are two easy-care and super-reliable flowers for autumn colour in The Middlesized Garden.

Bulbs for autumn colour

We had a burst of white cyclamen earlier on in the month, but otherwise my top bulb for autumn is Nerine bowdenii. It was planted along the front wall of the house by my predecessor. In fifteen years, I’ve thinned them out once, but have otherwise done absolutely nothing to them.

So shockingly neglected that I think you can even see weeds behind them, but they go on and on. But apparently they do take a few years to get established, so hang on in there if yours aren’t doing much.

Shrubs are the late-season stars

So this autumn I have really appreciated what good autumn-leaf shrubs bring to the garden. And I realise that I’ve missed a trick or two. I’ve always adored peony foliage in the spring. It emerges a glorious dark red and looks wonderful with primroses. But I hadn’t appreciated what peonies can -sometimes – bring to the autumn garden.

The peony leaves behind the stone dog aren’t really contributing anything to autumn gloriousness…

I have an unknown peony with beautiful autumn colour. And several very large peonies with no autumn colour at all. Their green leaves are just dying. Think how much more spectacular the garden would have been had I considered late-season foliage and peonies!

I wish I’d chosen more peonies for their autumn foliage as well as their flower colour. I don’t know which peony this is as it was planted by my predecessor.

Apparently Monty Don doesn’t like viburnums. It seems hard to see why not – both the viburnums in my garden make a very useful contribution in two seasons of the year. In winter, Viburnum bodnantense has delicate, fragrant pink flowers.

Viburnum bodnantense – wonderful autumn colour.

Another multi-season star – Viburnum opulus or guelder rose has pretty white pompom flowers in spring and beautiful autumn colour. But it should have berries too, and I don’t know why mine doesn’t?

Hydrangeas and cornus are two more multi-season shrubs. I planted my cornus for the vivid colours of the winter stems, but am enjoying their autumn foliage too.

Cornus ‘Midwinter fire’ (left) and Cornus alba ‘Elegantissima’ (right) with Viburnum opulus behind.

As with the peonies, some of my hydrangeas have beautiful autumn colour and others don’t. This is an oak-leafed hydrangea, probably Hydrangea quercifolia ‘Snow Queen.’

Grasses in the autumn garden

Grasses really come into their own in the autumn garden and I have some in pots. But this is probably an area where I could improve.

The parterre in mid October with Panicum ‘Shenandoah’ and topiary cut box in the pots.

The most important lesson about autumn garden colour

I feel I’ve learned a very important lesson about autumn garden colour. You don’t necessarily need to plan it. All you need to do, when choosing plants for spring or summer, is to check what their autumn foliage is like too. Given the choice between a peony with good autumn foliage and one without, all other things being equal, you can get two seasons for the price of one.

Take a tour of the garden

There’s a full tour of the garden here on this video. If you just want a quick overview, fast-forward to the 30-second tour (with music) which you’ll find at

Pin for reference

The post Autumn garden ideas – what works beautifully and what doesn’t appeared first on The Middle-Sized Garden.

from The Middle-Sized Garden https://www.themiddlesizedgarden.co.uk/autumn-garden-ideas-what-works-beautifully-and-what-doesnt/

[billwells3]

Summer Survival – Things to do (Part 2)

Are you having a brilliant Summer holiday? The weather has been so wonderful the team at Move Revolution have been enjoying visits to the beach and parks throughout Surrey, Sussex and Kent. Thank you for the lovely comments about our ‘Summer Survival – Things to do Part 1’, as many of you enjoyed the activities and events we would love to know your favourite!

We have researched more ‘things to do’ and activities for the second half of the summer holiday…

Sand Art at Priory Farm, Nutfield 20th & 27th August 

Nici Jordan our Marketing Director recommends Sand Art at Priory Farm.  

This looks like great fun – although we haven’t had a chance to visit this activity yet, I have been to a similar sand event at Arreton Barns on the Isle of Wight, my little girl, who is 7 years old LOVES THIS! Priory Farm is just a two hedges and a lane from our Move Revolution Head Office in Nutfield, it is such a beautiful setting we all love Priory Farm.

“Come along and have some lovely refreshments and relax while your children enjoy a Sand Art workshop. Pictures will take roughly 20mins to do and your child can take away their finished art work. Pictures start from £4. All sand art pictures will be covered in a protective sleeve and a hook applied to hang up at home”.

Castle Themed Play & Activity at Horsham Museum 20th August 

Ross, from our Crawley Office recommends the brand new Castle themed children’s Play and Display activity room at Horsham Museum.

“Bring the kids along and take part in the brand new Activity Trails, play with the games and toys for all ages and dress up like a knight! Its pushchair friendly and has baby changing facilities. Best of all, its free to come in!”

Eastbourne International Airshow 16th-19th August 

Joey Hansen, our Move Revolution Brighton & Hove expert recommends the Eastbourne International Airshow. It is a FREE four day spectacular with fast jets, historic aircraft, parachutists, military exhibition zone and firework finale!

“Attracting huge crowds, Eastbourne’s International Airshow boasts a 2 mile flying display line along Eastbourne seafront and regularly features the very best in military and civilian aviation display teams including the Red Arrows, Typhoon and the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, plus many more.”

National Trust – Standen Holiday Activities  – Dates throughout the summer holiday

Paul Brice, Director of our Move Revolution East Grinstead and Lingfield Office recommends a visit to Standen.  Aside from being a gorgeous National Trust property a few minutes from East Grinstead town centre, the gardens are fantastic for little ones to enjoy running around – especially the play area! During the summer holiday Standen are running brilliant activities!

“Join us for fun activities at Standen during the summer holidays. Children can enjoy nautical-themed craft and be a part of ‘Helen Beale – Never at Sea’ this summer, using their creative skills to print a bag that they can then take home.£2 per bag, booking not required” Photo ©National Trust Images/James Dobson

The Greatest Showman, Outdoor Cinema at Lingfield Racecourse 24th August 

Paul Brice also recommends seeing The Greatest Showman at the outdoor cinema at Lingfield Racecourse – the racecourse is such a brilliant venue this is bound to be a fantastic evening! TICKETS: https://goo.gl/hnFoZr

Godstonebury Saturday 1st September

Damian Bligh recommends Godstonebury –  “this looks like a wonderful local event – perfect for all the family”

“On Saturday 1 September 2018 ‘Godstonebury’ will be returning to the Orpheus Centre, Godstone, Surrey, RH9 8ND for a family friendly, acoustic festival starting from 12-9pm. The Orpheus Centre is an independent specialist college in Surrey that focuses on developing independence skills through performing and visual arts and makes dramatic improvements to young disabled adults’ lives. The one day festival will feature 12 bands, 2 stages, kids zone, performance area, arts and crafts stalls, a wide variety of food stalls and of course a beer bar. Tickets: £10 per adult, £5 concessions and children under 10 are FREE. All profits raised will fund the amazing work at the Orpheus Centre. Get involved: We are looking for volunteers, bands and stall holders. Please do get in touch with our Fundraising Team via fundraising@orpheus.org.uk or call 01883741416 if you would like to get involved. – https://www.orpheus.org.uk/event/godstonebury-festival“

SEA LIFE  Brighton Beach Clean – 18th August 

Joey also recommends this event for the SEA LIFE centre in Brighton.  A great way to get involved and join in cleaning up Brighton beach

Invite your friends, family, colleagues; bring your dogs, cats and children and join us in doing your bit! It’s estimated that there are 46,000 pieces of plastic per square mile of the ocean – a statistic which is incredibly easy to prevent by using plastics responsibly and picking up litter when you see it. However many people don’t behave in this way and the problem is getting worse – which is why we’re determined to make this year our most successful for beach cleans. We’re also offering reduced entry to SEA LIFE Brighton for £5 which goes to the SEA LIFE Trust from 3.30pm!

Alice in Wonderland at Wakehurst Place 30th, 31st August & 1st, 2nd September

Mathew Gurr, Area Sales Manager for Haywards Heath, Burgess Hill and Lindfield loves Wakehurst place! Whenever we ask for recommendations he always knows the wonderful events that are taking place throughout the year.  If you love outdoor theatre this is perfect for you, your ticket price also includes garden entry and car parking so you can really make a this a ‘family day out’

“This summer join Alice at Wakehurst on her amazing journey through Wonderland and experience an adventure like no other. 30 August – 2 September. Enjoy this family-friendly outdoor theatre production of Lewis Carroll’s classic story as it is brought to life in Glenn Elston’s highly acclaimed production, performed by The Australian Shakespeare Company. Join Alice as she tumbles down the rabbit hole and lands in the magical world of Wonderland. It’s a roller-coaster of a story as she bravely bounces from one unexpected and amazing situation to the next. Get ready to meet all the characters you know and love – from the skittish, constantly late White Rabbit to the singing Dodo. The Cheshire Cat will be sure to leave you with a grin and you can’t fail to miss Humpty Dumpty on his way to meet Tweedledum and Tweedledee. Thursday 30 August to Sunday 2 September. Thursday 2.30pm, Friday to Sunday 11am and 2.30pm. Adult £16, Friends of Wakehurst £15, Children 2-6 £12.90, Group of 4 £54.00. Wakehurst garden entry and car parking are included in the ticket price”

The Wizard of Oz at Groombridge Place 18th August until 1st September

Zac Ship our Area Sales Manager for Royal Tunbridge Wells, Tonbridge, Edenbridge & Sevenoaks recommends a outdoor theatre at Groombridge Place.

“The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is coming to Groombridge Place near Tunbridge Wells for the first time every day from 18 August to 1 September. Meet the famous characters as they welcome you into the Wonderful Land of Oz. Be amazed by the beautiful visual experiences as you venture through the grounds of Groombridge Place. Head to the Draftsman’s lawn where you may bump into the scarecrow as he wanders around the gardens or find out what it was like to live on the farm in Kansas when you talk to Dorothy and her friends”

What are your favourite things to do this summer? Let us know via our FACEBOOK page… remember to follow us to find out more things to do, places to visit and… of course, gorgeous houses to buy or rent!

  source https://www.moverevolution.com/blog/summer-survival-things-part-2/

[alexisbush-blog1]

Summer Survival – Things to do (Part 2)

Are you having a brilliant Summer holiday? The weather has been so wonderful the team at Move Revolution have been enjoying visits to the beach and parks throughout Surrey, Sussex and Kent. Thank you for the lovely comments about our ‘Summer Survival – Things to do Part 1’, as many of you enjoyed the activities and events we would love to know your favourite!

We have researched more ‘things to do’ and activities for the second half of the summer holiday…

Sand Art at Priory Farm, Nutfield 20th & 27th August 

Nici Jordan our Marketing Director recommends Sand Art at Priory Farm.  

This looks like great fun – although we haven’t had a chance to visit this activity yet, I have been to a similar sand event at Arreton Barns on the Isle of Wight, my little girl, who is 7 years old LOVES THIS! Priory Farm is just a two hedges and a lane from our Move Revolution Head Office in Nutfield, it is such a beautiful setting we all love Priory Farm.

“Come along and have some lovely refreshments and relax while your children enjoy a Sand Art workshop. Pictures will take roughly 20mins to do and your child can take away their finished art work. Pictures start from £4. All sand art pictures will be covered in a protective sleeve and a hook applied to hang up at home”.

Castle Themed Play & Activity at Horsham Museum 20th August 

Ross, from our Crawley Office recommends the brand new Castle themed children’s Play and Display activity room at Horsham Museum.

“Bring the kids along and take part in the brand new Activity Trails, play with the games and toys for all ages and dress up like a knight! Its pushchair friendly and has baby changing facilities. Best of all, its free to come in!”

Eastbourne International Airshow 16th-19th August 

Joey Hansen, our Move Revolution Brighton & Hove expert recommends the Eastbourne International Airshow. It is a FREE four day spectacular with fast jets, historic aircraft, parachutists, military exhibition zone and firework finale!

“Attracting huge crowds, Eastbourne’s International Airshow boasts a 2 mile flying display line along Eastbourne seafront and regularly features the very best in military and civilian aviation display teams including the Red Arrows, Typhoon and the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, plus many more.”

National Trust – Standen Holiday Activities  – Dates throughout the summer holiday

Paul Brice, Director of our Move Revolution East Grinstead and Lingfield Office recommends a visit to Standen.  Aside from being a gorgeous National Trust property a few minutes from East Grinstead town centre, the gardens are fantastic for little ones to enjoy running around – especially the play area! During the summer holiday Standen are running brilliant activities!

“Join us for fun activities at Standen during the summer holidays. Children can enjoy nautical-themed craft and be a part of ‘Helen Beale – Never at Sea’ this summer, using their creative skills to print a bag that they can then take home.£2 per bag, booking not required” Photo ©National Trust Images/James Dobson

The Greatest Showman, Outdoor Cinema at Lingfield Racecourse 24th August 

Paul Brice also recommends seeing The Greatest Showman at the outdoor cinema at Lingfield Racecourse – the racecourse is such a brilliant venue this is bound to be a fantastic evening! TICKETS: https://goo.gl/hnFoZr

Godstonebury Saturday 1st September

Damian Bligh recommends Godstonebury –  “this looks like a wonderful local event – perfect for all the family”

“On Saturday 1 September 2018 ‘Godstonebury’ will be returning to the Orpheus Centre, Godstone, Surrey, RH9 8ND for a family friendly, acoustic festival starting from 12-9pm. The Orpheus Centre is an independent specialist college in Surrey that focuses on developing independence skills through performing and visual arts and makes dramatic improvements to young disabled adults’ lives. The one day festival will feature 12 bands, 2 stages, kids zone, performance area, arts and crafts stalls, a wide variety of food stalls and of course a beer bar. Tickets: £10 per adult, £5 concessions and children under 10 are FREE. All profits raised will fund the amazing work at the Orpheus Centre. Get involved: We are looking for volunteers, bands and stall holders. Please do get in touch with our Fundraising Team via fundraising@orpheus.org.uk or call 01883741416 if you would like to get involved. – https://www.orpheus.org.uk/event/godstonebury-festival“

SEA LIFE  Brighton Beach Clean – 18th August 

Joey also recommends this event for the SEA LIFE centre in Brighton.  A great way to get involved and join in cleaning up Brighton beach

Invite your friends, family, colleagues; bring your dogs, cats and children and join us in doing your bit! It’s estimated that there are 46,000 pieces of plastic per square mile of the ocean – a statistic which is incredibly easy to prevent by using plastics responsibly and picking up litter when you see it. However many people don’t behave in this way and the problem is getting worse – which is why we’re determined to make this year our most successful for beach cleans. We’re also offering reduced entry to SEA LIFE Brighton for £5 which goes to the SEA LIFE Trust from 3.30pm!

Alice in Wonderland at Wakehurst Place 30th, 31st August & 1st, 2nd September

Mathew Gurr, Area Sales Manager for Haywards Heath, Burgess Hill and Lindfield loves Wakehurst place! Whenever we ask for recommendations he always knows the wonderful events that are taking place throughout the year.  If you love outdoor theatre this is perfect for you, your ticket price also includes garden entry and car parking so you can really make a this a ‘family day out’

“This summer join Alice at Wakehurst on her amazing journey through Wonderland and experience an adventure like no other. 30 August – 2 September. Enjoy this family-friendly outdoor theatre production of Lewis Carroll’s classic story as it is brought to life in Glenn Elston’s highly acclaimed production, performed by The Australian Shakespeare Company. Join Alice as she tumbles down the rabbit hole and lands in the magical world of Wonderland. It’s a roller-coaster of a story as she bravely bounces from one unexpected and amazing situation to the next. Get ready to meet all the characters you know and love – from the skittish, constantly late White Rabbit to the singing Dodo. The Cheshire Cat will be sure to leave you with a grin and you can’t fail to miss Humpty Dumpty on his way to meet Tweedledum and Tweedledee. Thursday 30 August to Sunday 2 September. Thursday 2.30pm, Friday to Sunday 11am and 2.30pm. Adult £16, Friends of Wakehurst £15, Children 2-6 £12.90, Group of 4 £54.00. Wakehurst garden entry and car parking are included in the ticket price”

The Wizard of Oz at Groombridge Place 18th August until 1st September

Zac Ship our Area Sales Manager for Royal Tunbridge Wells, Tonbridge, Edenbridge & Sevenoaks recommends a outdoor theatre at Groombridge Place.

“The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is coming to Groombridge Place near Tunbridge Wells for the first time every day from 18 August to 1 September. Meet the famous characters as they welcome you into the Wonderful Land of Oz. Be amazed by the beautiful visual experiences as you venture through the grounds of Groombridge Place. Head to the Draftsman’s lawn where you may bump into the scarecrow as he wanders around the gardens or find out what it was like to live on the farm in Kansas when you talk to Dorothy and her friends”

What are your favourite things to do this summer? Let us know via our FACEBOOK page… remember to follow us to find out more things to do, places to visit and… of course, gorgeous houses to buy or rent!

  source of this post came from Alexis Bush Blog https://www.moverevolution.com/blog/summer-survival-things-part-2/

[sophiadana]

Summer Survival – Things to do (Part 2)

Are you having a brilliant Summer holiday? The weather has been so wonderful the team at Move Revolution have been enjoying visits to the beach and parks throughout Surrey, Sussex and Kent. Thank you for the lovely comments about our ‘Summer Survival – Things to do Part 1’, as many of you enjoyed the activities and events we would love to know your favourite!

We have researched more ‘things to do’ and activities for the second half of the summer holiday…

Sand Art at Priory Farm, Nutfield 20th & 27th August 

Nici Jordan our Marketing Director recommends Sand Art at Priory Farm.  

This looks like great fun – although we haven’t had a chance to visit this activity yet, I have been to a similar sand event at Arreton Barns on the Isle of Wight, my little girl, who is 7 years old LOVES THIS! Priory Farm is just a two hedges and a lane from our Move Revolution Head Office in Nutfield, it is such a beautiful setting we all love Priory Farm.

“Come along and have some lovely refreshments and relax while your children enjoy a Sand Art workshop. Pictures will take roughly 20mins to do and your child can take away their finished art work. Pictures start from £4. All sand art pictures will be covered in a protective sleeve and a hook applied to hang up at home”.

Castle Themed Play & Activity at Horsham Museum 20th August 

Ross, from our Crawley Office recommends the brand new Castle themed children’s Play and Display activity room at Horsham Museum.

“Bring the kids along and take part in the brand new Activity Trails, play with the games and toys for all ages and dress up like a knight! Its pushchair friendly and has baby changing facilities. Best of all, its free to come in!”

Eastbourne International Airshow 16th-19th August 

Joey Hansen, our Move Revolution Brighton & Hove expert recommends the Eastbourne International Airshow. It is a FREE four day spectacular with fast jets, historic aircraft, parachutists, military exhibition zone and firework finale!

“Attracting huge crowds, Eastbourne’s International Airshow boasts a 2 mile flying display line along Eastbourne seafront and regularly features the very best in military and civilian aviation display teams including the Red Arrows, Typhoon and the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, plus many more.”

National Trust – Standen Holiday Activities  – Dates throughout the summer holiday

Paul Brice, Director of our Move Revolution East Grinstead and Lingfield Office recommends a visit to Standen.  Aside from being a gorgeous National Trust property a few minutes from East Grinstead town centre, the gardens are fantastic for little ones to enjoy running around – especially the play area! During the summer holiday Standen are running brilliant activities!

“Join us for fun activities at Standen during the summer holidays. Children can enjoy nautical-themed craft and be a part of ‘Helen Beale – Never at Sea’ this summer, using their creative skills to print a bag that they can then take home.£2 per bag, booking not required” Photo ©National Trust Images/James Dobson

The Greatest Showman, Outdoor Cinema at Lingfield Racecourse 24th August 

Paul Brice also recommends seeing The Greatest Showman at the outdoor cinema at Lingfield Racecourse – the racecourse is such a brilliant venue this is bound to be a fantastic evening! TICKETS: https://goo.gl/hnFoZr

Godstonebury Saturday 1st September

Damian Bligh recommends Godstonebury –  “this looks like a wonderful local event – perfect for all the family”

“On Saturday 1 September 2018 ‘Godstonebury’ will be returning to the Orpheus Centre, Godstone, Surrey, RH9 8ND for a family friendly, acoustic festival starting from 12-9pm. The Orpheus Centre is an independent specialist college in Surrey that focuses on developing independence skills through performing and visual arts and makes dramatic improvements to young disabled adults’ lives. The one day festival will feature 12 bands, 2 stages, kids zone, performance area, arts and crafts stalls, a wide variety of food stalls and of course a beer bar. Tickets: £10 per adult, £5 concessions and children under 10 are FREE. All profits raised will fund the amazing work at the Orpheus Centre. Get involved: We are looking for volunteers, bands and stall holders. Please do get in touch with our Fundraising Team via fundraising@orpheus.org.uk or call 01883741416 if you would like to get involved. – https://www.orpheus.org.uk/event/godstonebury-festival“

SEA LIFE  Brighton Beach Clean – 18th August 

Joey also recommends this event for the SEA LIFE centre in Brighton.  A great way to get involved and join in cleaning up Brighton beach

Invite your friends, family, colleagues; bring your dogs, cats and children and join us in doing your bit! It’s estimated that there are 46,000 pieces of plastic per square mile of the ocean – a statistic which is incredibly easy to prevent by using plastics responsibly and picking up litter when you see it. However many people don’t behave in this way and the problem is getting worse – which is why we’re determined to make this year our most successful for beach cleans. We’re also offering reduced entry to SEA LIFE Brighton for £5 which goes to the SEA LIFE Trust from 3.30pm!

Alice in Wonderland at Wakehurst Place 30th, 31st August & 1st, 2nd September

Mathew Gurr, Area Sales Manager for Haywards Heath, Burgess Hill and Lindfield loves Wakehurst place! Whenever we ask for recommendations he always knows the wonderful events that are taking place throughout the year.  If you love outdoor theatre this is perfect for you, your ticket price also includes garden entry and car parking so you can really make a this a ‘family day out’

“This summer join Alice at Wakehurst on her amazing journey through Wonderland and experience an adventure like no other. 30 August – 2 September. Enjoy this family-friendly outdoor theatre production of Lewis Carroll’s classic story as it is brought to life in Glenn Elston’s highly acclaimed production, performed by The Australian Shakespeare Company. Join Alice as she tumbles down the rabbit hole and lands in the magical world of Wonderland. It’s a roller-coaster of a story as she bravely bounces from one unexpected and amazing situation to the next. Get ready to meet all the characters you know and love – from the skittish, constantly late White Rabbit to the singing Dodo. The Cheshire Cat will be sure to leave you with a grin and you can’t fail to miss Humpty Dumpty on his way to meet Tweedledum and Tweedledee. Thursday 30 August to Sunday 2 September. Thursday 2.30pm, Friday to Sunday 11am and 2.30pm. Adult £16, Friends of Wakehurst £15, Children 2-6 £12.90, Group of 4 £54.00. Wakehurst garden entry and car parking are included in the ticket price”

The Wizard of Oz at Groombridge Place 18th August until 1st September

Zac Ship our Area Sales Manager for Royal Tunbridge Wells, Tonbridge, Edenbridge & Sevenoaks recommends a outdoor theatre at Groombridge Place.

“The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is coming to Groombridge Place near Tunbridge Wells for the first time every day from 18 August to 1 September. Meet the famous characters as they welcome you into the Wonderful Land of Oz. Be amazed by the beautiful visual experiences as you venture through the grounds of Groombridge Place. Head to the Draftsman’s lawn where you may bump into the scarecrow as he wanders around the gardens or find out what it was like to live on the farm in Kansas when you talk to Dorothy and her friends”

What are your favourite things to do this summer? Let us know via our FACEBOOK page… remember to follow us to find out more things to do, places to visit and… of course, gorgeous houses to buy or rent!

  from sophiadana https://www.moverevolution.com/blog/summer-survival-things-part-2/