fairestmusesofthemall

[fairestmusesofthemall]

I am in severe pain before a treatment but I want to be creative so my pain addled brain is just imagining Doom going "lay down or I'll make the weasels tie you down" and Yzma is going "pain relief? HAH." Because no she didn't think about pain relief, pffft. But she's got something to turn me into a panther if I wanna go feral. And do I? Do I wanna go feral? No Yzma. I'll chew off my left arm. Then the pain is just gonna travel because CRPS is on stupid mode and doesn't want to make sense. tl;dr screams into pillow

[fairestmusesofthemall]

For those of us who have multiple characters... the struggle is real.

[fairestmusesofthemall]

She recalled a cocky, arrogant prince snatching her from comfort and stability. She hadn't seen the woman she called her mother ever again after that day. For all she knew, the woman died of heartbreak. Stranger things happened back in the old land. She never thought the Forget-me-Not prince had an obsession with humans, but it made sense given how close he had come to the windowsill at the seaside garden. Cherise couldn't grab a can of mace or try to use her keys to swipe at her ex. She wanted to use her tote bag and slam the contents against his knees, but that wouldn't be enough to express her rage. Somehow she knew he wasn't lying. This wouldn't make for a funny joke and the fae had a particular sense of humor. Even the nuns of Storybrooke had their own way of being funny. She scowled. Her eyes flashed. Betrayal flashed through her. "How long did you know? How long? Did you know the entire time?!" Cherise struggled and somehow managed to keep her voice low as she hissed out her query. "What, now that he's not a cricket, you recognize some fucking family portrait?! You're a selfish fucking bastard, you know that?!" Cherise trembled as the anger continued to threaten a kettle-like effect. "Do you know what he thinks? I wish you knew what his childhood was like. Those things that raised him. I won't dignify them with names... Fuck, he'd like to know someone cared about him unconditionally!" Freeing her thoughts and inhibitions, the tote bag finally swung at Roderick. "I don't want anything to do with this shit. You and them don't want to even care about him. After all he went through without any of you! That is so unfair to Archie!" Cherise had pulled her tote bag to swing a second time but stopped herself. "Shit, he's so close to having people who care about him, then this? Fuck the Veil. Fuck you too, your highness. Respectfully."

He had let her leave. She didn't know that. He'd not wanted to marry anymore so he'd let her escape, even though he'd seen it happening.

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. He missed how long it had been in the Enchanted Forest. He should grow it back out.

"Fine, fine. I guess this is Blue's domain. Not even the fairy king would be dumb enough to cross the fairy godmothers." Not until he amassed more power anyway.

He stepped closer to her, leaning in so he could whisper. "I want to protect him because he's my long lost brother." The words sounded crazy coming out of his mouth. He hadn't even told her that he had a brother when they'd been engaged. Argentum straightened, looking at her closely. "You cannot tell him. My interest in humans, with my status ... it's something I've had to hide. Archibald? He's not just interested. He's intermingled. He considers them family. If the Fairy King finds out ..."

Well, he'd told her. He sounded insane, even to himself. He hadn't even told the few people he trusted what he'd found out. He'd been spying on the humans since the curse broke. He wanted to be a part of their world even if most fairies stuck up their noses at them. Jiminy hadn't seemed familiar in the Enchanted Forest, but here, his face, his eyes ... the only way to miss it was to pretend he was fully human.

"Now will you just keep the stupid card and call me if he gets into trouble?"

[fairestmusesofthemall]

Sure. If only he saw how Jiminy got her out that night. It was chaotic. She's probably been person non grata for a long time, but whatever made it worse would give them a better reason. "My room? Who do you think is going to blab? The first grade teacher? She's a nun!" Cherise flung her bag over her shoulder. "They're on my side. Or i'm on their side. I don't know how to explain it now that we're not exactly oozing with magic, but they're not the same groups." She made for the door and rested her hand on the door knob. "Why would you really care that much about protecting me? Or Archie? Technically we both ruined any kind of wedding night or whatever the Veil had planned. I bounced and he helped. So why would you want to help either of us?"

"You haven't pissed them off yet. And I'm trying to keep it that way." Angering the fairy king was a terrible idea. It was better for the information he'd gathered to remain a secret.

His eyes narrowed. "Therapy, huh? With who? I told you, I'm not talking to Archibald. I'm just fine, thank you very much." He wasn't. But this was not something he believed a therapist could help him with. The more people who knew about Archibald Hopper, the more danger everyone would be in.

As much as he wanted to fight, he did owe her. He sighed, looking around. Fairies didn't hang out in this part of town, not rich ones anyway. The fairy council wouldn't be lurking here. Hopefully. If he was lucky.

"I did just say I'm doing it for protection. The more people that know what I know, the more likely someone else finds out. Is your room secure? Do you really want to risk anyone overhearing?"

He sounded paranoid, even to himself. But he knew too much about the fairy world; sometimes paranoia was justified.

"If you simply must put yourself in danger, fine, but I won't tell you in hallways where anyone could overhear."

[fairestmusesofthemall]

Hey I just wanted to let you know cherise isn't on the pinned for muses!

That's right because she's a secret. I'm still terrified of the Once Upon a Time fandom so majority of my characters/verses/etc don't get publicized. This is just how OUAT fans kind of work. You think they're cool and then suddenly, whammo. Freak. Can't risk it. Too many years in that fandom and I am not sending myself to mental hell ever again. So "but then shouldn't you keep her on Discord" argument, yeah. It's why "secret menu". If you know and you can handle it, I can allow this. But you have to not be an absolute freak. IF YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW.

[fairestmusesofthemall]

It was serious, then. "So we've pissed off the entire Veil of Fairies." Easy to do if you're Thumbelina. When you're Jiminy Cricket, she suspected that had to be a little more difficult. The question remained, why? What did they want? "You sound-" Cherise sucked at her teeth for a moment. She spun in her chair to lower it and landed just as gracefully as she once did when she would hop from flower petal to a blade of grass. "...You sound like you could use therapy." For a moment she had seemed willing to call a truce but as always, Cherise chose the option to bite. She raised her eyebrows and wrinkled her nose in faux innocence. She knew exactly what she was doing. "As appetizing as it sounds to have you never blight my visual field again, it's never that easy. Not then. Certainly not now." Cherise pulled open a drawer, causing it to clank as a tote bag was revealed. "I'm heading to dialysis. I don't buy it. Knowledge is what helps protect us. If you're not going to tell Archie, then tell me." Her eyes widened. "You sort of owe me, don't you think?"

Cherise. That oddly suited her. If she didn't like Thumbelina anymore, than so be it. He just couldn't call her Maia ever again.

"You're not a sniveling anything. Never have been." She had too much fire in her to snivel, ever. That's probably what Archibald liked about her. It was a quality Argentum still admired, even though he knew now what he'd felt had never been love.

"Listen, Cherise. The more he knows about fairies, the more danger he'll be in. I'm taking a risk even showing up here. If I show up where he lives? No, no no." He laughed spitefully, shaking his head. "I might as well just had him over on a gold platter if I do that." His voice was dripping with bitterness and anger. Some of it was for the fairy council. Quite a bit of it was toward himself, with a smidge left over for Archibald.

"The less he knows, the better. And for that matter, the less you know the better. I know you're pissed, but I'm only offering this as a form of protection. After this I'll be out of your life for good, unless someone else starts to meddle. You have my word on that."

He didn't bother answering just how easy it was to figure out where she was. Fairies knew everything. They knew Archibald Hopper existed. They just didn't know what Argentum had found out. They didn't pay enough attention to humans. That was likely the only reason Archibald had been safe for this long.

[fairestmusesofthemall]

Had he lied? By omission, perhaps. He hadn't disclosed much. He hadn't mentioned how the fairy world operated and how complicated it was. He didn't mention it wasn't all wish granting. If only it was wish granting. That was the easy part. Those types of fairies were more favorable to her nature, but she didn't belong to them either. Her nature was more spiteful. No wings. Spite. Though she did feel driven to herd the children of Storybrooke as if something terrible was going to happen again while whispering expletives at the mayor and flipping a few gestures towards the pawn shop. No one was to be trusted. That must have been some kind of fae behavior. She must have matched some sort of nomenclature. "It's Cherise. Get it through your head. My name is Cherise." Thumbelina hadn't suited her. Neither had Maia. Cherise felt like a nice compromise. Her tulip had been a lovely shade of deep pink. At least she could hold onto that. "When your world gets involved, everything goes wrong. It always has. Why not tell Archie? Why make me your little sniveling errand bitch?" She waved the card through the air as her anger bubbled up. "He'd hear you out, you know that? Because I never told him half the things all of you and what they did to me." She finally tucked the card away, still fuming. "How did you figure out I worked here? What, you looked up my personal information at the bank? You're a real freak, you know that?"

He deserved to be stapled to the wall and left there for the janitor to find, even if it was the weekend. Yet, he still dodged her makeshift projectiles. The fairy court would ask questions if he came back with a bleeding face, and they were awful to deal with.

"If you want to hurt me, can you at least aim for my torso?" he asked dryly as she set the stapler down. He raised an eyebrow as she asked her questions.

"Think about this, Thumbelina. Have I ever lied to you?" He'd done horrible things to her. He'd made her change her name. His fairy attendants had forced her to change her body. He'd held her captive. He'd almost married her. But he'd never lied to her.

"You can trust this. The council would see him as a threat." He couldn't explain why, not without explaining family secrets that he'd found out on his own. And he already had to hide his interest in human culture. Dr. Archibald Hopper wasn't just interested in it, he was a part of it. He guided humans as a little moral compass chirping on their shoulders. Some members of the council, if they found out who he really was ... well it didn't bare thinking about.

"And this is the easiest thing in the world for you, Thumbelina. If you don't feel threatened, all you have to do is keep that card in your wallet. Easy! You can forget we ever had this conversation. That is just an emergency number to call if something goes wrong. Because trust me, Thumbelina. If the council comes for him, the human police department won't be able to do a single thing."

[fairestmusesofthemall]

Cherise raised a stapler threateningly. "Fuck you." No children in sight. No parents to gasp. She wasn't on bus duty. Rage burned behind her eyes as she clicked the stapler to send a stapler flying past Roderick's shoulder. "You've got some fucking nerve. Some real fucking nerve." Three more staplers flew. Cherise was, however, entirely harmless. She didn't have anything from Geppetto's workshop. She didn't have her paper weaponry. She didn't have her sewing needles that she had sharpened to a fine point. She wasn't Thumbelina anymore. She was Cherise, the kindergarten teacher. This was her colorful escape from a world she didn't belong in. The stapler clattered to the desk. Trembling hands snatched up the business card as she glowered at Roderick. "What do they want with him and why should I trust you? Is it about me leaving again?" She was about to tear up the card. "Yeah you know how to make a girl feel welcome. I think we'll both be fine without you..." Roderick. At least the curse had seemingly made amends by giving her some sort of companionship. She had failed at being a nun, but she had found some sort of belonging... Her old self would have been happy enough for that.

@fairestmusesofthemall

It was her space. He didn't want to intrude, and yet, here he was.

For a fairy, usually everything was too big. But her classroom was too small. It felt claustrophobic. He kept on a smirk to hide just how uncomfortable he felt.

At least no one was here. He'd waited for the kids to go home. They didn't need to see this. No one needed to know what was happening here.

"Maia," he said, tapping the sign on the door to her classroom. "I see the curse had a sense of humor for you too." He hated that name now, even if he was the one who'd given it to her. She probably hated it more. Not that he could let on any of that.

Now that he had her attention, he strode to her desk, acting confident as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a business card, sliding it over.

"Now before you toss that in the garbage, hear me out Thumbelina." He was using her real name. Hopefully she'd see that as he intended; a sign of his goodwill.

"I'm not here for you, really. Or for me. This is about the fairy court. They're looking for someone. Someone that I'm worried will be in danger if they find. And you happen to be good friends with this person. So I'm giving this to you for your protection, and the protection of your therapist friend." Calling him that made Argentum's throat tighten, but his face remained cool and neutral. He wouldn't let on any personal attachments, not today. Not when he didn't deserve them yet.

"That's so you can call if you think either of you is in danger. Or if you need anything."

The card said 'Roderick Blumenwald, Real Estate,' and listed his phone number and a physical address for his office. It hardly looked like a bodyguard business.

[fairestmusesofthemall]

He'd understand one day. That day would arrive too soon. Things were too simple to Henry. One day he'd want to hide from people he had feelings for. At least he didn't have a past. He only saw the future and for him it was bright and happy. "Henry, the way I talk to you is very different than the way I talk to Dr. Hopper. Or anyone." It's very different. I use certain words starting with f and b that would get me fired. Can't tell Henry that. "I don't think the finer points of Big Bird or Mr. Rogers is a conversation starter." Cherise shook her head. "Listen, Henry... If I need a wingman, I got Sister Astrid. She owes me. Kind of. I know what to say. I just have to say it. Even if you know what to say, it's finding the bravery to say it. Not all of us can be so brave to say what we need to the first time around. I have to do it right."

Henry was still rather confused. "How is this weird? I think the only way you can make it weird is by thinking too much."

She was right, kids didn't think too hard. Not about stuff that didn't need to be considered. Who even thought about meeting someone again being weird? That was such an adult problem.

"Just think like you do in class, but while talking to Archie. Archie likes talking about kid stuff. We talk about Star Trek and comic books all the time. So maybe not quite kindergarten, but still! Just don't think too hard. Think like a kid."

[fairestmusesofthemall]

Another day, another moment I have to describe that time my cousin didn't eat his veggies at 50s Prime Time and you have a very big, very tough man with a Brooklyn accent singing I'm a Little Teapot shaking his tuckus and going I DON'T KNOW THE WOOOOORDS. And I use this as a SELLING POINT.

iykyk

[fairestmusesofthemall]

"I do! I do want to. I mean, I have to. We've got an appointment together and it's going to look really weird if I cancel it. The curse breaks and one of your patients cancel? He's gonna come looking for me..." Either way, Archie was going to find out. She still looked very similar to how she used to be. Even the short stature was a give away, although that had a much more ironic and upsetting explanation. "I just need to figure out how not to make this weird. He's been my therapist. He used to walk you home from the bus sometimes." Something something, ships in the night... There was probably something to describe the situation but Cherise didn't have the capacity to dredge it to the front of her mind. It was finger paints and clean up songs, even if now she was melding that with a life that had just been awakened. Cherise rubbed at her knuckles and let out a defeated sigh. "I see a little too much of Dr. Whale, honestly... It's adult stuff, Henry. This is why I like staying in my classroom. I don't have to think for a little while."

Henry blinked. He wasn't sure how someone picking you up and taking care of you when you were sick was embarrassing. People picked him up from school all the time. Maybe it was just one of those things that adults made weird.

"So you've seen him this whole time. My grandparents ran to each other even though they had a rough time during the curse. Don't you want to see him again?"

Henry didn't know they were in love, not really, but it just made sense for people to want to find each other. He'd helped Jefferson realize the importance of finding Grace. Now he could help his teacher find her family.

"Don't worry Miss Maia. I'm good at believing. I believed in the curse when no one else could! I'll keep believing you can get better." She was right, he'd known well before his book that something was wrong, and he'd never stopped believing that.

Still, things didn't feel right. "I ... don't understand why you don't want to find Archie. He makes everything better. And you're his friend! That means he should make them extra better for you! Emotionally, I mean. I don't think he knows what to do with illness, but I'm sure Dr. Whale will keep helping you!" If only she could see Dr. Ein. Henry liked him better, but that was probably only because he was good with children. He didn't seem to get along as well with adults.

[fairestmusesofthemall]

It hadn't been hard to deduce that. Henry had that optimism and kindness. He had tenacity like his grandfather, though. None of this was surprising for her. "That book helps the curse break, I guess. You seemed really happy to show it to me." The stories weren't like the usual picture books she kept in the library at the back of the room, though it seemed as if someone had tried to damage the fairytale books all over town. It was strange, but she was never able to put it together until now. There was a slight wince as she leaned back into her chair. "Henry... I know Dr. Hopper. We all do." This was going to make her next therapy appointment very awkward. Yes, let's reacquaint ourselves after twenty-eight years of misery and missed connections. Let's talk about things that were almost until a curse had rolled in and pulled them away. Let's talk about- Cherise shut her eyes. "I was sick. I mean, I am. With the curse breaking, I guess there's nothing to hold this back anymore. I was sick even when you were in my class, Henry. I think it has to do with the days leading to the curse being cast."

She wasn't in it that much, but he remembered seeing her by Jiminy in a picture of one of the council meetings. "Well, I know you helped advise grandma. Er, Snow. But you probably figured out I'm her grandson. Grandpa goes by David now I think."

She looked a bit pale. At least she was sitting. Henry moved closer to her desk, frowning. "You weren't in it that much, but neither was Pinocchio and he was important. The book just focuses so much on grandma and grandpa. But uh, Miss Maia? Jiminy is Archie. Dr. Hopper. Do you want me to help you find him? He's probably in his office right now! And he's got Pongo! Have you not met him here? He was one of the first ones I figured out, but I saw him a lot. And Jiminy's in the book more than you. Maybe you should tell me your story and I can write it down for you!"

If anything, she was starting to look more pale as he kept speaking. His frown deepened. "Miss Maia, are you alright? You look a bit sick."

[fairestmusesofthemall]

my pack of fae characters stealing children from dangerous situations like: I AM SO FUCKING SUCCESSFUL RIGHT NOW

[fairestmusesofthemall]

"Top of the class, Henry. I'm out of gold stars today, so I hope you'll make do." Cherise squeezed his hands gently and released them with a sorrowful nod. "I don't know how much of the story is in your book, but I remember now. I can remember Jiminy and Pinocchio. I can remember that I was a seamstress, too."

She retreated behind her desk and climbed into her chair. She ached all over. With the curse breaking, there was a strange finality sinking in. The curse wasn't keeping her alive anymore. Now exhaustion was settling in. "I remember Jiminy telling me he'd see me on the other side when I woke up. He tucked me in. Terrible things happened before the curse was cast, Henry. The queen- uh... Well Regina- Fu-" She frowned and immediately began to nibble on her lower lip. "Well, cheese and crackers, this is weird. She couldn't hurt Snow White and uh... Charming- wow he has a name, doesn't he? I gotta catch up-" A hand flew to her head. It was pounding slowly. She was exhausted. A sip of water would have been nice, but could she even do that? How much did she drink today? "H-Henry, uh, how much do you know about my story? It'll help me focus for a little bit." We can't pass out on Henry now... He just left the hospital.

She wasn't a teacher? That was surprising. She was so good at it. But more surprising was that she hadn't been able to find her friends and family.

He followed her into the classroom, frowning as he looked at just how small the desks were. All his kindergarten friends could still fit in them, but it had been a long time since he could.

"You mean the hospital thing? I was fine right when Mom woke me up. Dr. Whale and Dr. Ein made me go through a bunch of tests before they'd release me from the hospital though."

Henry took her hand and frowned. She must've been near the ac. She was freezing! "Do you need some gloves Miss Maia? It's pretty cold in here."

It was easy to figure out who she was? If that was true, why hadn't anyone been able to find her? And what did it have to do with her size? If he could figure out the riddle, maybe he could help her find her family. He wrapped his hands around hers to warm it up as he thought. It was only when he realized that they were the same height that he started to piece it together.

"Most of the teachers are fairies, but you're short even for a fairy. Are you Thumbelina?" But no, she couldn't be!

"No, that's not right. Thumbelina was friends with Jiminy Cricket. And he's easy to find! Or ... wait do you not know who he is here?" Whatever the problem was, Henry was going to fix it.

[fairestmusesofthemall]

"Henry!" The curse was a strange and wicked thing. Now that it was lifted, she felt... She was lost. This world had turned her into a shade of who she was once; she was angry and she carried a physical pain. "...No. I wasn't." Her hands slipped into her skirt. It was bright pink and resembled an upside-down tulip with a dramatic yellow ribbon tied in the back. It was breathable and despite the globs of glue and glitter, it was simple to toss in the wash. When one worked with younger children, one needed clothes that could take a beating. "To both of your questions. I didn't find anyone and I wasn't a teacher. Uh..." She dusted her hands off on the skirt and beckoned Henry into the colorful kindergarten world. Construction paper crafts hung from the ceiling; birds, butterflies, and dragonflies. Spring was in full bloom in Miss Maia's class. "I heard about what happened. Shouldn't you be taking it easy instead of checking up on me? You're a good kid, but can't you take a day off?" There was a strained chuckle as she reached out for Henry's hand. Her own touch was somewhat chilled. Cherise was sick. She could hide it from her class but it was likely any charade wouldn't work on Henry. She pulled her hand away and let out a tiny sigh. "...I'm the most obvious one of all, Henry. At least, physically."

Henry hadn't had the chance to talk to Miss Maia since the curse had broken. He'd always hung out in her class in the mornings before school, resisting her attempts to have him go play with other kids his age. They always forgot him, but he couldn't tell her that every time. Instead, he'd told her he'd much rather help her.

But then he'd got the book from his grandmother, and he'd been so focused on breaking the curse, he hadn't had the chance to see her. Things were finally starting to stabilize a bit, so as classes ended, Henry went to gently knock on her door.

"Miss Maia? How are you doing?" He still hadn't figured out who she was. Maybe she wasn't in the book. Or maybe she just showed a different side of herself to her students that she didn't show to adults or people from her past.

"Were you able to reunite with everyone you knew? Who are you? Were you a teacher back in the Enchanted Forest?" He didn't mean to bombard her with questions, but he missed talking to her, and he was curious.

@fairestmusesofthemall

[fairestmusesofthemall]

So I'm cleaning out my muses. I'm getting rid of: Ashe The King of All Cosmos Miles Edgeworth I don't have the spoons. I just... I don't have the spoons. So they're going.

The Exhausted and Powerful Mun has Spoken

[fairestmusesofthemall]

"Sometimes I think I should start messing up on purpose. Jiminy gets really excited when The Lady shows up to give me a lecture."