#( audrey rose // main )

[descendantofthesparrow]

@c-rose2081 inspires me constantly ive drawn so much within the past month because of her lol

[stuckinapril]

One of my personal goals at the moment is not to box myself in when it comes to fashion. Fashion is important to me bc I was raised by a mother who refused to leave the house unless she looked the most elegant and classy she possibly could, and bc of her I also developed a taste for that kind of vibe. But I also feel like I play it safe most times and just want to experiment w things every now and then I think

[havenfanrewatch]

HAVEN REWATCH!

Calling all Haven fans!

This will be a really easy/simple scheduled rewatch; not a group watch as such but more like a book club - watch one episode a week (in your own time) to discuss throughout the week.

Details TBC ...

In the meantime, click Follow and maybe reblog too - spread the word! 😁

Details now here!

[oocstephenkingtv]

Stephen King parallels: Maine weather

Haven 1x1 Welcome to Haven (2010)

Castle Rock 1x1 Severance (2018)

[pcetstcrtured]

@chrmiing asked: " He said he's six-foot-two and I'm like, "Dude, nice try"." ( audrey + chad )

( a guts ask meme isn't a bad idea, right? )

"Well, he sounds like an idiot." Audrey replied with a little roll of her eyes. She took his opposite in hers now, holding it gently as she began to brush a fresh coat of nail polish onto his nails. "I'm sorry little miss priss chose him over you." She stopped for a minute to look him in the eyes, her own shining with nothing but sincerity. "She doesn't know what she's missing out on."

[antihcroes]

@wylmn liked for a taylor swift lyrical starter!

the last great american dynasty

"she had a marvelous time ruining everything."

[vanteguccir]

── ୨୧ !　𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗘'𝗦 𝗦𝗢𝗠𝗘𝗢𝗡𝗘 𝗜𝗡𝗦𝗜𝗗𝗘 𝗠𝗬 𝗛𝗘𝗔𝗗

　　　　　　　　　𝒎𝒂𝒕𝒕 𝒔𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒏𝒊𝒐𝒍𝒐 x reader

SUMMARY: Where Y/N is targeted by a certain ghost during the filming of the Sam and Colby ft. Sturniolo Triplets video.

REQUESTED?: Yes, from anon.

WARNING: Paranormal, supernatural, ghosts, mediumship, physical injury, pain.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: That is my work, I DON'T authorize any plagiarism! | English isn't my first language, so I'm sorry if there's any grammar error.

A/N²: This one happens in the same "universe" of this Matt Sturniolo x Reader of mine.

　　　༻✦༺ 　༻✧༺　༻✦༺

"Wow, the smell of roses in here has gotten stronger." Matt commented as soon as Colby closed the large door behind them, lifting his chin slightly as he smelled the strong scent of flowers.

It was time to investigate the Maximillian room, which was on the mezzanine; the room that held eight mirrors surrounded by gold that cost way too much and a painting of Empress Carlota, who, according to legend, was there because of those same mirrors, as they were gifts from her husband at the time.

And it was precisely because of her that Y/N was feeling so anxious. From the moment the hotel guides took them to there while showing them all the main haunted rooms in the building, the girl felt strange.

Because Y/N was a medium and was aware of it since she was a child - consequently training her "skill" as she grew up -, her sensations with the supernatural were duplicated and very accurate; Not only could she see, hear and feel the presences, but she could also feel what came with them and the weight of each one.

That's why, on her first trip to the room, she quickly found Carlota, who surprisingly allowed the girl to see her, but Y/N wished she hadn't. Carlota was beautiful, exactly as in her painting, still dressed in classical clothes, but her eyes carried so much anguish. Contrary to the hope of Audrey - their main guide -, Carlota did not appear to have found peace in the afterlife.

But what surprised Y/N, or scared her the most, was the hatred in the ghost's eyes, and strangely, this hatred was directed only at her.

Upon stepping into that room for the second time that night, the girl felt nausea rise from her stomach to her throat, swallowing hard; Her heart raced stupidly fast and the hair on her arms and legs stood up, raising goose bumps on her skin. A weight settled on her shoulders and the back of her neck, making her feel as if any sudden movement would send her straight to the ground.

Her hands shook slightly as her eyes swept the room. She focused her senses better, being able to capture several spirits coming and going from one mirror to another, reminding her of the portals created by them. Y/N felt the pain, sadness, anger, and melancholy of each of the ghosts, her throat becoming dry and her eyes burning with tears. She felt overwhelmed.

"Baby? Hey, what happened?" Matt's soft voice close to her ear woke her from her intense trance, her eyes meeting the blue ones that kept her grounded.

Y/N noticed that the others were a little further away and already in the center of the room, talking to each other while Sam arranged the camera to record the investigation. She was internally grateful that Matt had come to her unnoticed without attracting attention from the others.

"Sorry, I'm fine. Just overwhelmed. This place has a horrible atmosphere." Y/N responded in the same soft tone as her boyfriend, keeping her eyes fixed on his, trying to convey confidence.

"If I'm feeling the burden in these walls, I can only imagine what you're feeling, dove. I promise I'll be by your side the whole time, and if it gets too much, let me know, and we'll leave right away." The boy spoke, taking Y/N's right hand with his left one, squeezing lightly. Y/N smiled in gratitude. She was so lucky to have him with her.

"So Carlota likes compliments and flirting?" Colby's deep voice caught the couple's attention while asking the rhetorical question. Y/N and Matt looked up at the others, seeing Sam already with the camera on and passing the lens along the decorated walls surrounding them.

Matt turned off the light on the switch near the door as previously agreed before they approached the others, ready to start what they needed to do there.

"Hey Carlota, here we have five fine men, but only three are single and available for you." Matt spoke first while settling close to his brothers, his eyes scanning the space completely despite being able to see practically nothing through the darkness.

Y/N followed his action, sweeping her eyes around her and the ghosts there, internally trying to focus only on Carlota's spirit. She kept her right hand intertwined with Matt's, not wanting to let go of his warmth, knowing that he was the only one who could keep her under control in that situation.

"Can you see her, Cole Sear?" Nick asked Y/N, crossing his arms and looking at the girl with a curious gaze, who nodded after rolling her eyes momentarily at the reference to the movie Six Senses, smiling sideways.

Nick was scared to death of watching horror movies, but he loved it when Y/N watched them all and then told him the story.

"I can, but I can also see several other ghosts that probably have nothing to do with the hotel's history and are only here because of the portals. I'm trying to just focus on her."

Colby and Chris started throwing random pick-up lines into thin air, trying to attract the Empress's ghost. Their words made Y/N let out a low laugh, they were ridiculous.

After a significant effort, Y/N finally managed to clear all the ghosts in the room from her mind, being able to see only Carlota. The woman stood a few steps away, her eyes on Colby and Chris as she held an elegant and calm posture, an arrogant smile on her face, probably satisfied with all the attention.

But that changed when she realized that Y/N saw her completely now, her empty eyes going to the girl, a flame of anger and disdain shining behind them, seeming to penetrate Y/N's eyes and run throughout her mind.

The girl's hands flew to her own head almost instantly, pressing down on each side as her body arched slightly forward, a growl escaping her throat as her knees shook, weakened by the sudden pain.

Matt had never moved so fast, his body positioned in front of his girlfriend's as his hands held her arms, which were more tense than ever before, her own fingers tangling in strands of her loose hair, pulling hard while trying to stop the intense pain of the sudden migraine.

"Y/N? Baby, talk to me. What's... What's going on?" Matt spoke in a desperate tone, his eyes going from his girlfriend to the boys repeatedly, hoping they would have some kind of response.

Nick and Chris ran to the two, positioning themselves on either side of Y/N, choosing not to touch her so as not to worsen her overload but showing that they were there for her.

"It must be some spirit that is messing with her, perhaps trying to attack her or, at worst, control her." Colby commented, approaching as well as his eyes traveled around the dark room, looking for any clue as to what it was, even if he couldn't see anything.

Sam lowered the camera, the lens focusing on his feet as he too approached. His eyebrows were furrowed in concern, the blonde knew well what it was like to be attacked by spirits, and if he could, he would put an end to what Y/N was feeling at that very moment.

"Matt." Y/N let out in a pained groan, an intense pressure establishing in her right arm, as if something was holding, or rather crushing the region. She lifted her left hand, placing it on Matt's right shoulder while trying to find stability.

With great difficulty, the girl looked to her right from the corner of her eye, catching Carlota there, just a few inches apart from her. Feelings of fury and disgust emanated from her aura as her right hand squeezed Y/N's arm, and although she didn't say anything, the girl knew that that gesture was a request - mandate - for her to get out of there.

Nick and Chris spoke to Sam and Colby in low tones, probably trying to understand the situation and find a solution to reverse it.

"I'm here, honey. I'm right here." Matt whispered repeatedly, bending down slightly to be at the same height as Y/N while holding her hand that was on his shoulder, stroking the skin softly with his fingers.

He felt his breathing quicken in anxiety at the sight of his girl's state, panic wanting to take over his body, but he maintained control, closing his eyes momentarily to compose himself, as he whispered sweet nothings against his girl's ear.

Seconds later, when he saw that Y/N was still moaning and grunting in pain, he took a deep breath before turning around, turning his back to the girl and facing the room. Little did he know that Carlota was right next to him.

"I demand that you cut all effect on Y/N right now. You are not allowed to mess with her." Matt's voice was stern, like never before. His eyes held determination while running around the room, his hands behind him, maintaining contact with his girlfriend's body. "She's not yours!" He growled.

Suddenly, all the pressure on Y/N vanished, and a feeling of relief took over her, as if fresh air had entered her nostrils and filled her lungs, bringing comfort to her body. The girl exhaled sharply, removing her hands from her head slowly, as if expecting the worst.

Y/N straightened her posture, opening her eyes, waiting for them to adjust to the light. One of the boys had probably turned it on in the meantime, and the girl mentally thanked whoever had done it, finally being able to see the surroundings better.

The negative and evil energy had left her side, but Carlota was still in the room, Y/N could feel her.

Matt turned abruptly, facing Y/N again, pulling her into his arms as he held her head against his chest, caressing the area carefully.

"You're okay. You're okay." The boy repeated it like a mantra, trying to calm Y/N or himself. He wasn't sure.

Y/N winced at Matt's movement, the pain in her arm intensifying, reminding her that Carlota had almost ripped it off.

“Wait, are you hurt? Where does it hurt, Y/N?” Nick asked after hearing it, finally getting close enough to be able to lightly touch his best friend's shoulder, a worried look decorating his face.

Matt pulled away from Y/N almost instantly, ready to investigate her injury, feeling anger rising through his veins. If he could see and touch ghosts, he would kill Carlota again.

Y/N just raised her right arm, rolling up the sleeve of her jacket with her left hand. Chris, who was on the other side of the girl like a bodyguard, his blue eyes still darting around the room as if expecting something to appear out of nowhere, let a surprised sound escape his lips at the sight.

"Oh my God, Y/N. This is bad." The youngest of the triplets murmured, an expression of discomfort taking over his face as he thought about the pain resulting from the injury.

A handprint was perfectly carved on Y/N's arm. It looked like someone had taken a pencil and ink and drawn in the area. That would definitely turn out purple.

"That's crazy, dude. Does it hurt bad?" Colby asked, taking a few steps closer to get a better view, receiving a nod from the girl, who was still looking at the mark in disbelief.

"When you said you were Lorraine Warren, I didn't think you would perform the entire The Conjuring movie. If I had known, I would have brought a priest and some holy hater." Sam joked, trying to lighten the tense atmosphere, as he momentarily turned off the camera.

The blonde made a quick mental note to delete all footage of that disturbing episode, not wanting to expose such a vulnerable moment of his new friend.

Y/N let out a laugh. The ghosts really hated her.

[c-rose2081]

Art by @nnobodoodles <3

Ariana Rose (OC/Character Introduction)

-

Story: We the Anti-Heroes

Fandom: Disney Descendants

-

Full Name/Title: Princess Ariadne Nevaeh Rose-Corleone of Coventry

Nickname(s): Ariana, Ari

Age: 17

Birthday/Star Sign: August 16th / Leo

Personality Type: ESTP

Home Country: Auroria-Coventry

Style Preference: Bold, Colorful, Showy/Promiscuous, 2000’s/Britney Era

Favorite Color Combo: Marigold & Turquoise

Art by: @tinta.negrita (Cara/Insta)

Family:

immediate family -> Queen Rhea Rose-Corleone (mother), King Jedrick Corleone (father), Prince Adonis Rose-Corleone (little brother)

extended family -> Queen Leah Rose (maternal grandmother), King Stephan (maternal grandfather), Queen Aurora Rose (maternal Aunt), King Phillip (Uncle), Audrey Rose (first cousin)

family via marriage -> Chloe Charming (cousin-through-marriage), Chad Charming (cousin-in-law/psudo uncle/Audrey’s husband), Queen Ella (aunt-in-law), Charming (uncle-in-law)

Art by @descendantofthesparrow

(Other) Relationships:

Hadie Phobos (boyfriend), Herc Hercules (ex-boyfriend), Zevon (ex-boyfriend/platonic friend), Claudine ‘Dina’ Frollo (friend), anti-heroes club (friends), Dr. Mason Blythe (therapist)

Face Claim: Samantha Logan

Descriptors (negative): Over-dramatic, Toxic, Bitchy, Difficult, Unstable, Spiteful, Attention Seeking, Anti-social

Descriptors (positive): Loyal, Protective, Theatrical, Fearless, Bright, Intelligent, Streetwise, Affectionate

Descriptors (environmental): Neglected, Skittish, Aggressive, Scarred, Broken, Emotionally Disregulated, Touch Starved, Temper Prone

Ailments/Disabilities: Emotional Disregulation, PTSD, Violent Tendencies

Felonies: Aggravated Assault, Underage Alcohol Consumption, Falsified Identification

Lesser Convictions: Expulsion (Auradon Preparatory Academy)

General Information:

- Ariana is currently in the middle of a guardian dispute due to her parents neglect towards her. She lives away from her home country with Audrey as her main point of contact while attending Auradon Prep.

- Ariana doesn’t have a good relationship with her family and generally avoids them at all costs.

- Ariana was expelled from Auradon Prep after her Freshman Year but was readmitted at Audrey’s insistence.

- Was arrested for aggravated assault after sending a man to the hospital (by nearly gouging his eyes out).

- Currently attending regular therapy sessions once a week (on Saturday mornings) to help with her aggression, anger management, and emotional disregulation by order of the court.

- Is a hairs length away from going to jail if she breaches her parole agreement.

- Struggles with her panic disorder stemming from PTSD.

[miraculouslbcnreactions]

I’ve always wondered why I’m so harsh on Zoe outside of just her character being used to it’s simplest degree (ie just being a replacement for Chloe) and I think I get it now.

Zoe is a perfect example of the “good/perfect victim”. The writers literally used her to downplay Chloe’s own abuse experiences by saying “See? Here’s a teen who was also abused at school and she turned out to be a sweetheart who’s so much better than Chloe in every way” blatantly ignoring She and Chloe possibly different home lives because Zoe had a different father.

As someone with experiences of toxic home lives I don’t appreciate it when abuse gets undermined especially parental and Zoe being used as a mouthpiece for what I guess can be summed up as abuse apologia made me think so lowly of her as a character.

Thoughts?

I actually just got another ask about my thoughts on Zoe, so I'll schedule this to post the same day since it's topical. In that post, I talked about why she bugs me and it's because she reads like the main character in an escapist self-insert power-fantasy fanfic. Once again, to be extra clear, those types of fanfic are FINE! Power fantasies and escapism are extremely valid things that are popular in professional works, too. For example, they basically dominate isekai and romance stories, but Zoe showcases exactly why characters like this only work as main characters in escapist fantasies. If you try to make them work as a normal side character, they just feel weird. Make them the main character or don't write them. Since she's not the lead, why is she even here?

I didn't consider the perfect victim angle in that other post, but now that you've brought it up, I'm wondering if that was indeed why she was introduced. Is she here to show that someone could have Chloe's mom and still come out to be a good person? The writers do seem really obsessed with that idea as we see from this moment in Derision:

Marinette: (as she goes down the stairs) I just got three more hours of detention on Saturday, and it's all because of Chloé. Rose: Don’t be mad at her. She's this way because her mother left her when she was young. Mylène: So did mine! And you don't see me having fun bullying Marinette. We've got to do something about your pants. I'm afraid they might be ruined for good.

This isn't even why people think that Chloe is the way she is? It's not just because her mother left. It's her father's terrible parenting, her absurd wealth, and the fact that her mother didn't actually leave. Audrey is still very much around, she just ignores Chloe most of the time and insults her on the rare occasions when they're in the same place. That's a recipe for disaster.

Sure, some people are lucky enough to come out being a good person in spite of their messed up home life and those who come out as jerks don't get a free pass to be jerks, but it's not like it's a total shock when bad home lives lead to people being jerks. The bully with a bad home life is a stereotype for a reason.

I'll once again point to The Good Place as an excellent show to watch if you want to see a realistic journey for a Chloe-like character. A journey that acknowledges the struggles that come from a messed up home life without giving the characters a free pass to use that home life as an excuse for their actions. Part of their journey is accepting that they have to stop blaming their parents and take charge of their lives.

Miraculous could have done something similar if it wasn't a formula show. The potential was there. But it is a formula show and the writers apparently don't think that Chloes are capable of change. I get that childhood bullies suck, I had one! I am very happy that she's no longer in my life, but I also don't think that she was incapable of change. She just needed to be put in the right situation where she accepted that change was needed and that never happened when we were kids. Has it happened since then? I don't know! Some people never change, but that doesn't mean that they can't change. Most of us are capable of changing. It just takes the right catalyst and a lot of hard work. People rarely start changing out of nowhere. It almost always has an inciting incident.

That's actually part of why Zoe's story feels so shallow. We're never really told why she was the way she supposedly was pre-canon or what caused her to change into her canon self. This is the backstory we get in Sole Crusher:

Zoé: I'm... really sorry about today. I thought that if I did everything Chloé wanted me to, she'd accept me. I just wanted to meet my family's expectations. Which is why I left New York in the first place. At the boarding school, I was playing a part; being someone else, hoping they'd accept me. But finally, I just couldn't anymore. That's when everyone turned against me, and one day, I found roaches in my locker. They all said I was a loser. Maybe they were right. I get that I'm different, and... I'd understand if you guys didn't want me as a friend.

So Zoe lied about everything and, when she revealed that she was a massive liar, everyone turned against her? Shocking. Why wouldn't they welcome a confirmed liar with open arms? That's so weird! (That was sarcasm.)

Seriously, why are we acting like Zoe was the wronged party here? This is literally Lila's story save for the motivation behind the actions (as far as we know). There are times when motivation matters, but this is not one of them. If you've spent weeks (months? years?) lying to people, then they're not going to trust you when the lies are revealed. Maybe you'll get lucky and someone will be willing to hear you out and give you a second chance, but that's an act of kindness. It's not an act of basic human decency.

This speed run story probably wants us to believe that everyone at Zoe's school was evil and that Zoe had to fake a personality to fit in, but I don't believe that. Writers, if you want me to believe it, then actually show us her story! You had a full New York special to do it! Why didn't you make Zoe the lead there since the specials love to introduce new characters to hog the screen? Have Zoe's school be the American school they go to and have her personality change be caused by Marinette and Co. so that Marinette and Co. trusting Zoe in Sole Crusher actually makes sense instead of feeling like something the plot forced on them! This is the scene I'm talking about, btw:

Marinette: (confused) I don't understand. When I met her this morning, she was so nice. Alya: That's crazy. Chloe's influence is so toxic that she's managed to corrupt her sister in a few hours. Alix: We gotta get her out of there.

Why are you all so sure that Marinette's two-minute-long interaction was the "real" Zoe and that her new personality is all Chloe's fault? Why are you acting like it's impossible to fake being nice but faking being evil is totally reasonable?

It really feels like this show is trying to say that people are either inherently good or inherently evil. Zoe was inherently good and just played at evil, so she's fine, but Chloe is just evil so she's doomed. That is really not how the world works, but now that I think about it, it does match the way the miraculous are often used. There are "evil" and "good" versions of some of the powers instead of just powers that can be used for good or evil. I've never liked that because it makes no sense. Why do akumas need a good form? Why is there an evil transformation phrase? Why do the miraculous even have an evil mode? Who programed that in???

While were on the topic of things that were possibly done just to show that Chloe is evil: is this why they made Jagged Stone an absentee parent to Luka and Juleka and then made the "twins" totally cool with it? Is the show trying to say, "Look! Luka and Juleka are nice! Therefore this is a Chloe problem. Stop blaming her parents!"

Who knows, but your idea certainly has merit. I wouldn't go so far as to claim that this must be what's going on, we don't know and I don't like to treat educated guesses as fact because they're not, but the text certainly has evidence to back this read.

[kneesheee]

when descendants fanfic writers remember the main characters’ family members >>>>>

Hadie - Mal’s half brother

Uma has sisters; unknown how many

Jade - Jay’s cousin

Diego - Carlos’ cousin

(Ivy - Carlos’ cousin from 101 Dalmatians: The Series.)

Anthony Tremaine - Dizzy’s cousin, Chad and Chloe’s stepcousin

The Evil Stepgranddaughters - Dizzy’s sisters

Gaston Jr, Gaston 3rd - Gil’s brothers

Harriet, CJ - Harry’s sisters

Ariana Rose - Audrey’s cousin

Derek - Doug’s brother

Gus, Hapson, Cheerful, Shy, Doc Jr, Bashful Jr, Crabby, Gordon, Sleepy Jr, Snoozy - Doug’s cousins

[baenyth]

Bethany's Bizarre Miraculous Fic Prompt: Hawkmoth Gets Owned By Various Fictional Detectives

Basically I want to see Hawkmoth/Shadowmoth/Poopmoth/Monarch fail more since he kinda sorta won last season. And it's also crossovers where different fictional detectives (or just people on the Kira case square,) out Hawkmoth as Gabriel Agreste once and for all and hopefully do similar stuff such as outing Lila as a liar, dragging down other corrupt adults like Tomoe and Audrey, etc. and also just various funny moments with these characters interacting with the Miracucast. Here's some ideas I have from characters I know or are just interested in:

Lieutenant Columbo. I already made a post detailing it.

L from Death Note. I haven't watched Death Note, but if the memeposts are to be believed, he would outthink Gabriel Agreste at every turn. Probably ask him to show what's behind his ascot.

Shuichi Saihara from Danganronpa V3. Aside from him deducing Gabriel as Hawkmoth with the help from his friends, imagine the shenanigans. Gonta being ecstatic for the bug-themed heroes and how nicely they treat the purified butterflies. Kokichi takes down Lila by being Kokichi. Tenko is aware of the plot and tries to get Marigami together and make them kiss, alongside getting an Julerose kiss. Kiibo and Markov bond. So do Kaito and Rose. Kirumi somehow becomes mayor of Paris.

The Scooby Gang. In general I like the concept of silly guys managing to defeat Hawkmoth. They would accidentally find the secret elevator to Emile's pod and manage to use Ladybug and Chat Noir as bait for a trap and at the end, (since I like to imagine they're meddling adults at this point,) Gabriel Agreste grumbles that "at least it wasn't those meddling kids Ladybug and Chat Noir." They also take down the rest of Paris's elite because that's who the villains of Scooby Doo are.

The Duwang Gang. I think Kwamis and Miraculous heroes can see stands, but I'm unsure about akumatized people. Maybe. It turns out Crazy Diamond can heal people wounded by the Peacock but they pull the plug on Emile for the health of everyone. Rohan Kishibe uses Heaven's Door on the Miracukids and gets into accidental meta commentary upon discovering the full love square. He also uses Heaven's Door on Luka and it's sheet music. Maybe let Yukako join in too because of how much of a romancefest this show is and also because I like her and she had such a big presence in Great Days. Gabriel Agreste ends up with a similar fate to Yoshikage Kira, being surrounded by our heroes and helpless to do anything.

Sam and Max. I don't know much about them other that they're 1. funny guys, and 2. might just end up hitting Gabriel Agreste with their car.

Steve from Blue's Clues. Aside from the inherent humor of an educational kids show host taking down a terrorist supervillain, it also implies Blue knows who Hawkmoth is. Steve sits on the thinking chair to deduce Hawkmoth's identity and where he's hiding.

Courage the Cowardly Dog. Maybe Muriel and Eustace are dead and he was sent to live with Mylene and her dad. I feel like they'd get along well. Or maybe they're still alive and just visiting Paris and Muriel and Eustace are staying with Mylene and her dad. Either way I think this should take place around season 5 because the alliance ring works well with Courage's themes of paranoia over something supernatural putting your family at risk.

Agent P. Maybe Hawkmoth gets so desperate he gets Doctor Doofenshmirtz to build a wife-revive inator only for Emile to end up in another coma after accidentally pressing the self-destruct button on said inator. No one recognizes Agent P without his hat because this is Miraculous and people are dumb. Perry gets to beat the stuffing and tar out of Hawkmoth. Doof betrays him when he learns about how shitty of a dad he is. The miraculous heroes are allowed into OWCA on account of the animal theming.

The Smiling Friends. It starts off with a mission involving all of the main four helping Marinette smile and spirals down from there.

Not Batman. I've had enough Miraculous-Batman crossovers for one eternity.

[wearethekat]

Anticipated New Releases of 2024

**As anticipated by Me. Mostly SFF. Links are to goodreads because that's what I use, sorry. Anything marked "new to me" I haven't read anything by that author before and therefore can't vouch for the quality. I just think the premise is neat.**

Emily Wilde's Map of the Otherlands, Heather Fawcett (16 January)

Sequel to the charming novel about the fairy anthropologist.

Exordia, Seth Dickinson (23 January)

Well, it isn't a new Baru Cormorant, but this modern SF about first contact may be the next best thing.

City of Stardust, Georgia Summers (30 January)

New to me. A young woman descends into the underworld in order to break her family's fatal curse.

The Tainted Cup, Robert Jackson Bennett (6 February)

New to me. A sherlock holmes flavored duo solves the mystery of the murder of an imperial official in a labyrinthine fantasy realm.

What Feasts at Night, T Kingfisher (13 February)

The sequel to the mushroom horror book What Moves the Dead.

The Warm Hands of Ghosts, Katherine Arden (13 February)

A ghost story set in WW1 about a woman searching for her missing brother.

The Fox Wife, Yangsze Choo (13 February)

New to me. A detective in 1908 Manchuria investigates a young woman's death in an area full of mythical foxes.

Redsight, Meredith Mooring (27 February)

New to me. Unpowered priestess and Imperial pawn is set on a collision path with a pirate with a grudge for the Imperium (Gay romance).

Sunbringer, Hannah Kaner (12 March)

Sequel about the professional godkiller Kissen.

Jumpnauts, Hao Jingfang (12 March)

New to me. A SF novel in translation from Chinese, with three scientists joining forces to deal peacefully with a first contact situation.

The Woods All Black, Lee Mandelo (19 March)

I liked Mandelo's debut novel very much so I'm excited to read this queer horror novella set in 1920s Appalachia.

Floating Hotel, Grace Curtis (19 March)

New to me. A series of cozy character vignettes on a space cruise ship after a murder has occurred. One of the four (!) space hotel murder crimes books coming out this year.

The Emperor and the Endless Palace, Justinian Huang (26 March)

New to me. Reincarnation gay romance set in 4 BCE China, the 1740s, and modern-day LA.

Alien Clay, Adrian Tchaikovsky (28 March)

Far future space xenoarchaeology by a man trapped on a prison planet.

Someone You Can Build a Nest In, John Wiswell (2 April)

New to me. Bizarre lesbian cannibalism monster romance from the point of view of the monster.

The Familiar, Leigh Bardugo (9 April)

Glad to see Bardugo writing more adult fantasy, and this one is especially exciting because it's a fantasy set in early modern Spain with a Jewish main character. Fun to see a more original historical period.

A Sweet Sting of Salt, Rose Sutherland (9 April)

New to me. Lesbian selkie romance.

Death in the Spires, KJ Charles (11 April)

Charles branching out from romance into historical Oxford murder mystery about a group of friends with dark secrets.

Audrey Lane Stirs The Pot, Alexis Hall (22 April)

The new Hall thinly veiled british baking show romcom. Libby says it's releasing in April but I've heard nothing from the author so I think it may be Alecto'd (shifted to next year)

Necrobane, Daniel M Ford (23 April)

Sequel to the dungeons and dragons-esque low fantasy lesbian necromancy book.

A Letter to the Luminous Deep, Sylvie Cathrall (25 April)

New to me. Sweet underwater epistolary academic romance.

How To Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying, Django Wexler (21 May)

New to me. A young hero caught in a fantasy time loop gives up and tries being the villain in an attempt to escape.

Goddess of the River, Vaishnavi Patel (21 May)

Another woman-centered retelling of Hindu mythology, this time based on the river goddess Ganga.

Escape Velocity, Victor Manibo (21 May)

New to me. Evil and toxic private school alumni jockey for position in a space hotel event in an attempt to escape a dying Earth.

The Fireborne Blade, Charlotte Bond (28 May)

New to me. Gay dragon slaying knight novella.

Evocation, ST Gibson (28 May)

New to me but looks very cool. Attorney and medium David attempts to escape his deal with the devil with the help of his ex boyfriend and his ex boyfriend's wife (Poly romance).

Service Model, Adrian Tchaikovsky (4 June)

In an SF future, a robot kills its human owners and ventures out into a world where human supremacy is beginning to crumble.

Lady Eve's Last Con, Rebecca Fraimow (4 June)

New to me. A con artist seeks revenge on the man who hurt her sister, who's coincidentally also on a space cruise ship (Sapphic romance subplot).

Triple Sec, TJ Alexander (4 June)

An actual mainstream published poly romance (!!) by trans author Alexander.

Running Close to the Wind, Alexandra Rowland (11 June)

Gay! Pirates! Scheming! Alt fantasy world! Monks! I liked Taste of Gold and Iron a lot and I'm very excited for this one.

The Knife and the Serpent, Tim Pratt (11 June)

New to me. Space opera about an interdimensional organization. Also, there's a sentient starship.

The Witchstone, Henry Neff (18 June)

A childhood favorite of mine's adult debut, featuring a demon who suddenly has to shape up at his curse keeper job after eight hundred years of slacking.

Rakesfall, Vajra Chandrasekera (18 June)

VERY excited to read more weird queer sff from this author after a fantastic debut. Looks weird. I'm in.

Foul Days, Genoveva Dimova (25 June)

New to me. A witch in a Slavic fantasy inspired world flees her evil ex, the Tsar of Monsters. There's also a plague and a detective.

Saints of Storm and Sorrow, Gabriella Buba (25 June)

New to me. Filipino inspired anticolonialist fantasy novel about a nun who is secretly practicing the religion of her goddess.

The Duke at Hazard, KJ Charles (18 July)

A queer regency with an incognito duke by one of my particular favorite romance authors.

Long Live Evil, Sarah Rees Brennan (30 July)

!!! Very excited to see a new adult fantasy by Brennan. A reader is dragged into a fictional world and finds herself the villain.

A Sorceress Comes to Call, T Kingfisher (20 August)

A retelling of The Goose Girl from reliably good fairy tale stalwart Kingfisher.

Buried Deep and Other Stories, Naomi Novik (17 September)

Collection of Novik's short stories.

Swordcrossed, Freya Marske (8 October)

VERY excited to see a new book by talented writer Marske. A man falls in love with the duelist hired for his arranged wedding. MEANWHILE. details of the fantasy world wool industry.

Feast While You Can, Mikaella Clements and Onjuli Datta (29 October)

New to me. Small town queer cave horror.

The Last Hour Between Worlds, Melissa Caruso (19 November)

Multiple reality murder mystery spy vs spy type antics, with lesbians.

[gangles-toybox]

LSOH x TADC AU designs!!

Ye ye some designs for my lsoh x tadc au I talked about a while back lol :3 btw I won't spoil but tadc ep 3 was pretty good IMO!! I can't guarantee I'll get back into tadc since I feel like the main reason I did after ep 2 was for Ribbun mostly lol but hey who knows? Speaking of, I don't ship them in this AU personally but idgaf what y'all ship with them, preferably not Pomni n Caine tho since this is going by the 1986 version of the movie where Mr. Mushnik acts more like a dad to Seymour.

First up, we have Pomni as Seymour and Queenie as Audrey 2!! I like to think she starts to abstract as she is "dying" of starvation :]

Next up we have Gangle as Audrey and Jax as Orin because OH BOY are they toxic...also added the bow cuz I didn't wanna give Gangle hair but I wanted to give her..something..so ye

Next up we have Bubble, Sun and Moon as the Chiffon girls cuz...idk. My only real thought is Bubble, Sun and Moon are all paired together for the Animiz figure & they're all just talking objects so..yeah

Then we got Caine as Mr. Mushnik and Ragatha as the radio host person thingy that Seymour talks to! For Caine, I decided to take more inspo from Mr. Mushnik's design from the cartoon Little Shop just to differnate this from regular Caine as much. For Ragatha, idk I wanted to make her look like a typical 80s' girl lol

Last, but not least, we got Kaufmo as Arthur Denton!! :3

Also, I didn't feel like drawing them cuz they would play such minor roles but I think Gummigoo would be the first guy to come in and notice Audrey 2 and buy a dozen roses(or two dozen..? i cant remember lol) since that guy already talks a bit like an NPC lol. And then Zooble would be the nurse that just wants to get the hell out of there during the Arthur Denton scene lol.

But yeah, lmk what y'all think!! :3 /nf

[oocstephenkingtv]

Haven 1x8 Ain't No Sunshine (2010)

[pcetstcrtured]

@childrenofslumber liked for a starter!

Audrey held out a hand before she spoke, looking to her brother with a look that said it would be best for him to let her get out what she needed to say before he spoke. "I'm going to say something, and when I say it - I don't want any comments like 'Are you sure you're Audrey?' or 'Have you gone crazy?'. Got it?" She took in a deep breath before letting it out and speaking once more. "I want you to help me plan Donny's party this year. And yes, I really, actually do. And no, I will not murder you in the process." She paused for a second. "I promise." She decided to tack on.

[descendantofthesparrow]

Descendants 3 - Rewrite True defender x Rewrite Finale- P3

after 9 months...its finally here...p3 of TrxRpoyw...enjoy.

=

The group had to navigate their way through the woods to try and find the main path but luckily Lia had a compass and both Harry’s and Gil’s had an innate sense of direction, and soon they were back on track-heading towards Evie’s starter castle.

Lia informed everyone that their two hours were almost up, and it was just past 3 pm when they were strolling across the lush lawn of Evie’s starter castle. alt Harry jogged forward a bit, seeing an odd shimmer around the castle-and then it shattered-a small wave of iridescent magic flaring across the group.

“What was that?” Lia asked and the group moved quickly towards the house, worried the girls were in trouble but that worry turned to relief as the glass French doors flew open and there they were-alt Mal, Rose, and Uma were the first out-the others plus Doug(thankfully only one) following suit.

Alt Mal bolted right for Alt Ben-the two slamming into each other. “Ben,” Alt Mal almost sobbed, pulling back and checking him over. She knew Ben’s worst fear was being turned into a beast, so whatever happened must’ve been hard to deal with. “Are you okay?” she asked, and Alt Ben nodded, holding her waist.

“I am now,” he said, squeezing her arm when she gave him a look. “Really, I was scared at first but I figured it out, the boys helped, said I looked cool,” he whispered the last bit and Alt Mal rolled her eyes playfully, turning to see the others reuniting with the girls. Rose and Alt Harry were embracing tightly-which made Uma grab Harry’s wrist a bit possessively-and Alt Gil was hugging Alt Uma, lifting her off her feet as he squeezed her.

Mal was staring intently at Alt Ben and Mal, her expression tight with intense thought-and then she looked at Lia and Ben, who were close together and holding hands. She then actually looked at Ben and jolted a bit, she had expected Ben to look like he usually did-handsome and human not…a furry.

Ben saw her look and growled a bit, he was a bit more...animalistic than alt Ben was-his fangs growing a bit with the sudden emotion of protectiveness he felt for Lia in front of Mal. “Oh,” Mal muttered, stepping back.

“He’s sensitive,” Lia said, turning Ben’s attention back to her with a soft smile and her hand gentle on his furry cheek. She didn’t want Mal to say something off the top of her head, she wasn’t exactly known for being…empathetic.

“Killer look,” Mal said after a long pause, her stance showing how awkward she felt. “Is it, uh, permanent?” Mal asked.

“It might be if Audrey isn’t defeated,” Lia said, which reminded her of the mission, and that seemed to remind everyone else as well. “Do you have a lead?”

Mal tipped her chin up, so proud of herself(even if it had been Uma who had found the diary and Rose who confirmed that would’ve been Audrey’s most likely location, and where Audrey/Maleficent would’ve hidden out ironically.) for finding a lead on Audrey. “Yes, we looked through her diary-“

“Seriously?” Lia said, Audrey might’ve gone evil but that didn’t mean her privacy should’ve been invaded! Alt Mal spoke up before an argument broke out. “We’ll apologize to her after,” Lia sighed but nodded and Mal went on as if no one had spoken up. “We think she’s at fairy cottage,” She turned to Ben. “Do you know where that is?” he nodded. “Can you lead us there?” Mal asked, Ben nodded again.

“That’s settled then, we need to plan.” Alt Mal said as she stepped away from Alt Ben. Uma nodded in agreement. “We need to be careful about this, Audrey’s got loads of power, and there’s two of them-one of them possessed by Maleficent.” Uma said.

Mal just shrugged their concern off. “It’ll be fine, I’ve got the ember.” Mal said, holding up the glowing blue gem. No one looked convinced, including Alt Mal. “And?” Alt Mal said, her brow raising. “The ember alone won’t be enough. It only promises you a quarter of Hades power, and even then all it really does is drain magic,” She paused. “Well, that’s what my ember does, but still-my point stands. We need a plan, and we need to attack together, there's two threats, Audrey and mom. You need more than just yourself.”

Lia decided she liked this Mal, she wasn’t so… self-assured and was ready to accept help when she needed it.

“Three years of therapy everyone,” Rose joked from beside Alt Harry, and Alt Mal rolled her eyes. “Not the time Rose, but thanks.” She said, turning back to Mal, who seemed to be holding back some burst of emotions as she stared hard at Alt Mal. “We need a plan.”

“I have a plan.” Mal said haughtily, quite perturbed that her own alt self was so…teamworkey. “You all stand back and watch as I take care of Audrey and save the kingdom, and then you all can go home and we can all have our happily ever after.”

“You mean, save Audrey, right?” Rose said, stepping forward, and Mal felt a chill go down her spine at the look in the blonde's eyes. “Right, Mal?”

“Of course, save.” Mal said, almost nervously, her eyes glancing to the side. “Save Audrey and the kingdom.” Mal wanted Rose far away from her, she was…dangerous, especially with that ‘immune to magic’ thing she apparently had.

Rose didn’t look convinced, and neither did Alt Mal, both sets of pirates, Lia, and both Ben’s. Hadie looked very unimpressed as well. “Well, as it stands, we still need a plan for our Audrey, the one possessed by mom? I know I can’t take care of her on my own, so I’m making a plan either way.” Alt Mal said, crossing her arms-she…didn’t like her other self, Mal reminded her of mom.

Mal closed her eyes-her hands clenching a bit. “It’s a smart idea, Mal,” Evie said, trying to calm Mal down with a small smile. “It is never wise to go in without a plan.”

“Whatever. Make your plan, I have mine.” Mal said, crossing her arms and looking away-the ember still in her grip. Alt Mal rolled her eyes and turned to her group, stepping closer to alt Uma for a moment.

“Was I like that before?” She asked quietly to Alt Uma, and she snorted with a nod-holding back a chuckle when Mal made a face. “Yeesh, I know I said I was sorry before but I’m sorry for…” Alt Mal looked over her shoulder at Mal-who was practically pouting at being undermined by her own alt self. “That.”

Alt Uma snorted again, and Mal smiled. “Yeah, help me plan? You’re better at making plans for big groups.” Alt Uma actually looked shocked to hear that but then she smiled and nodded. “Yeah, I can help.”

It took maybe only 15 minutes to come up with a plan, but it was a solid one. And soon enough the group of 22 teens/young adults began the journey towards fairy cottage, Doug and Jane staying back to make sure the sleeping vks were safe within Evie’s starter castle.

Ben led the way through the woods, Mal was right behind him, her hand still holding the ember. Alt Mal was a few paces back, her eyes locked onto Mal’s back.

Something felt…off, about all this, she couldn’t put her finger on it, but something was wrong-and it wasn’t just Audrey having the scepter.

Carlos was talking about Chad and about what Jane had told them about him joining forces with Audrey, and they classified him as a glorified hostage since…well…it was Chad.

“Great, another person’s butt I have to save,” Mal said, but she didn’t sound all that upset about it, in fact-she looked to be hiding a smile. Still, Lia reached out, resting her hand on Mal’s shoulder. “You’re not alone Mal, you have all of us.” Lia reminded, and Mal didn’t look happy to receive that, shrugging Lia’s hand off.

“Don’t worry about me, I’ve got this.” Mal said, speeding up to walk next to Ben, attempting to lead the group with him still leading the way. Uma watched her go, and once she was sure Mal was out of ear shot-while keeping her eye on the alt Mal-went over to Lia and whispered into her ear.

“She got real haughty, more than usual, once she discovered she could turn into a dragon-like her mom could-didn’t she? Real insistent on saving the day by herself.” Uma said, her eyes locked onto the two dragons that were imprinted on Mal’s back.

“Seems so,” Lia said passively, her eyes drawn to the alt Mal, who seemed to be having a silent conversation with alt Uma, alt Evie, and Rose, the four glancing between each other and Mal. It seemed they had their own opinion on how Mal was acting.

 “You know what I find funny?” Uma said to Lia, and Alt Mal glanced over her shoulder at them, seemingly listening in. Uma let her. Lia hummed, gesturing for Uma to go on. “That the evening after Ben proposes to you, Audrey takes the scepter. Audrey, as far as we know, has shown no bad feelings between you two, right?” Lia nods, and alt Mal keeps her eyes on them, glancing forward at Mal, her eyes narrowing a bit. “Not only that, she takes the scepter, something that shouldn’t work out of Maleficent’s command,”

“Or her descendants command,” Lia mumbled, her brows furrowing as the pieces began to fall into place. “You don’t think…”

“I don’t wanna point fingers just yet, but don’t you think it’s odd? That Mal claims the dragon's eye can only be defeated by Hades ember? Something she claims that only she can use? And it gave her, her magic back?” Uma continues, keeping her voice hushed, glancing at alt Mal, who seems to be handing this same suspicion over to her friends, who all begin to glance at each other, getting just as suspicious about Mal as Lia and Uma were.

“Mal gets her powers back, makes a big show about how she’s the ‘true defender’ of Auradon, and keeps trying to do things on her own,” Lia mumbled, remembering Mal’s outburst during the meeting with Beast, Belle, and FG earlier. Uma nods.

 “It’s funny how this all just, fits into place for her, doesn’t it? Audrey takes the scepter, an item famous for being cursed to be only used by Maleficent and her offspring lest the user wants to be thrown into an eternal sleep, Mal claims the ember is the only thing to stop it-an item she claims only she can use, she’s insistent on doing this alone, on being the hero. I trust I’m not the only one sensing a pattern.” Uma said, tapping her fingers against her thigh, Lia’s brows furrowing as Uma painted a picture, and it wasn’t a pretty one.

“She wants attention,” Lia mumbled, knowing Mal very much felt like Lia had stolen her thunder, not only with her powers but also by being with Ben.

“She wants Ben back.” Uma added, yes Mal wanted attention, but she also wanted Ben back-the king of Auradon. “Think about it, remember how she so eloquently put it when Ben proposed to you? ‘you’ve won Ben’. I think that Mal thinks if she defeats Audrey, with all the glitz and glamour of a hero, she’ll win him back.”

Lia narrows her eyes a bit, her wings fluffing at the notion of Mal ‘winning’ Ben back. Ben wasn’t a prize. He was human, just like everyone else, with his own feelings and desires, he wasn’t someone to ‘win.’ He had chosen Lia. Not Mal. “She won't win Ben back, she can save the day alone all she wants, but that won't do anything in the end, Ben’s made his choice.” Lia said calmly, her gaze straight ahead at her beloved fiancé. Ben loved her and she loved him, she was quite certain Ben didn’t care if Mal saved the day or not, he just wanted to make sure his kingdom and people were safe, it didn’t matter to him how it was saved.

Uma nodded; glad Lia was confident in this. She looked up, cursing under her breath as she saw the stars peering out from the darkening sky. “It’s already nightfall,” Uma said loud enough for everyone to hear, everyone looking up to the sky to look for themselves. “We need to be careful; Audrey and Maleficent can catch us off guard easier in the dark.”

The group nodded, putting up their guard again, having relaxed on the walk to the cottage. “How much further?” Carlos asked Ben and he paused, looking through the trees and growling. Lia spoke up for him. “it's just up ahead, let’s all be careful, who knows what traps the Audreys might’ve set for us, let alone one of them being Maleficent.” Lia said and everyone scattered amongst the trees to begin their descent upon the ‘queen of mean’s’ hideout.

It was quiet as the two groups descended upon the cottage…almost too quiet. Alt Mal tossed her glowing ember to Hadie, who’s eyes glowed yellow and hair turned to fire as he clutched the ember in his fist, Rose and Harry drew the swords alt Uma had conjured up, and both versions of Gil, Jay, and Carlos were ready to defend at a moment’s notice, and alt Uma’s eyes were locked onto the cottage, ready for a fight against the mistress of all Evil.

Both Mal’s crept up to the iron gate, alt Mal hissing a bit as the iron burned her skin and she used her leather glove/sleeve to push open the gate. She nodded back to her friends and they all moved forward, ready to leap into action at any moment, Hadie right behind alt Mal, the ember in his grip-ready to free their Audrey from Maleficent’s possession spell.

Mal glanced at her alt self and then looked back at the cottage, searching for any sign that Audrey knew they were there, but when nothing stirred, Mal signaled to move forward, and she and the others stormed into the house, Mal and Hadie holding the embers in their fists.

The door burst open, Mal ready to take down Audrey, but it was dark and quiet within the cottage, not even a dust bunny to be seen. Jay rushed in while everyone flooded into the cottage where Princess Aurora had once been hidden, alt Mal scanned everywhere she could look for any sign of the Maleficent possessed Audrey.

There was nothing.

“She’s not upstairs,” Jay said, alt Jay right behind him as they came down from checking the 2nd floor of the cottage. Mal looked frustrated and confused. “I don’t understand,” Mal spat out, bringing her hands to her head and pressing her fists to her temples. “She should be here!”

“She must’ve left,” Evie said, quite unhelpfully since it was obvious that Audrey had abandoned the cottage where she had been earlier.

“Yeah, but where? And why?” Jay asked, continuing to look around the cottage for clues.

“She knew we were coming,” Rose says and Lia nods, having just about to say that.

 “She tracked us down to the castle and through the forest,” Lia continued, tapping her chin in thought.

“And she found us at Evie’s place, she’s known where we were the whole time, tracking us through the scepter. She knew where we were, what our plan was, and when we arrived, she-both of them-probably left a while ago.” Rose finishes, the group spinning around as the pantry door begins to sound with rapid knocks, like someone was trapped inside.

“Two bucks that’s Chad.” Rose says as Ben quickly goes over to the locked pantry door, alt Ben and both Harry’s guarding his back just in case it is something malicious.

Ben peered into the small window of the pantry and then pulled up the wooden lock of the door, pulling open the door to reveal…Chad, curled up on the floor and murmuring about his mother.

“Chad?” Ben says gruffly and the blonde whimpers. “I want my mommy,” Chad says, and Ben pulls him up. Chad, upon realizing it was Ben-a beastly version of him-well two Bens…two Mals…two…everyone except Lia and the blonde girl amongst the group-latches onto Ben.

“Your face,” Chad mutters, eyes wide at the fur on Ben’s face and he looks awkwardly at Lia for help, who was pressing her lips together to hold back a laugh at Ben’s reaction. “She’s gone huh?” Chad asks and without waiting for an answer, he sees the open door and books it.

“Freedom!!!”

Rose and both Harry’s laughed as Chad ran for it like a chicken on fire, Harry quietly mocking him as Carlos peeked out the cottage door, watching Chad book it into the dark forest. “So…we were right about the hostage thing,” Carlos said awkwardly, sharing a glance with his alt self, Dude at their feet. Alt Carlos gave a shrug.

“If Chad was here alone, locked in the pantry, then Audrey must’ve abandoned this place for good,” Evie said, alt Evie nodded in agreement, which made Mal stomp her foot like a child being refused a cookie.

“Oh, come on! We were so close!” Mal hissed and alt Mal gave her an odd look, not liking this behavior.

It reminded her too much of their mother.

“Now we’re back at the starting line,” Mal hissed, pocketing her ember and storming out of the cottage, the others following close behind.

“We’ll find another lead,” Lia said, attempting to offer support to Mal who was clearly frustrated. “we’ll find Audrey, both of them.” Lia said, looking at alt Mal who gave a thankful smile in return. She knew she needed to find her Audrey, and soon, lest her mother’s possession spell take full control, and Audrey was gone for good.

“The longer she’s out there the more havoc she can wreak,” Mal said, looking out into the dark enchanted forest, only the wind to be heard in the eerily quiet night. “she’s more unpredictable than I thought,”

Rose narrowed her eyes, something about the way Mal said that made her gut twist for some reason.

“If you let me help, we can cover more ground.” Lia offered, just wanting to help but Mal was stubborn.

“No.” Mal said sharply, with such a tone that it made everyone look at her in surprise, alt Mal frowned more-the last time she had used that tone was back when she had lived on the isle and was still fighting with Uma. “I got this. Come on.” Mal commanded, moving forward out of the cottage garden and into the forest, wondering where Audrey could’ve gone.

Alt Mal and alt Ben glanced at each other, their brows furrowed, the other alt vks and Rose seemingly all sharing the same thought. ‘This is sus’. “Is it just me or…is she…” Ben started awkwardly, and Mal nodded, running her hand through her hair, Uma stepping up next to them to continue Ben’s sentence. “being a stuck-up brat who refuses to accept help so she can be top dog?” Alt Uma said, annoyed, and Ben slowly nodded.

“Yeah…that,” alt Ben mumbled, and they watched as Lia walked up to Mal and seemingly offer help/a pep talk but it quickly turned sour as Mal got defensive, talking about ‘it’s a god thing’ and Lia’s voice turned sharp. “I am descended from a goddess. Don’t tell me I wouldn’t understand.” Lia said and Mal glared back at her, scrunching her nose in anger; she seemed ready to snap back only for Carlos to interrupt her anger.

“Speaking of the ember, didn’t Lia brush it off and push back Hades a few days ago, right?” Carlos said, the others nodding in remembrance while Alt Carlos pointed at Rose. “yeah, same for us-Rose body slammed him back into the barrier and she just brushed off that beam that almost took down our Mal, and she’s immune to magic-if Lia’s nearly the same while having her own set of powers, it’s clear that Lia is more powerful than the ember, right?”

Mal scoffed, she did not like how her Carlos and this-alt Carlos were talking. Lia? More powerful than the ember? Fat chance. The ember was more powerful than anything else-even Maleficent’s scepter. “Pure luck.” Mal spat. “She scared Hades with some flashy lights and wings, that’s all.” Mal said, looking around for anyone to agree with her, but no one seemed to share her thoughts. She huffed, stomping her foot like a child again. “I’m doing this! You can’t stop me!” Mal almost screeched, turning on her heeled foot and starting to walk off towards the forest again.

“We’re not trying to stop you!” Lia said, her voice exhausted and exasperated as she walked after Mal-the others doing the same to keep up with the…conversation. “We’re trying to do what’s best to keep Auradon safe!”

Mal scoffed again, rolling her eyes. “Oh really?! Like when you stood against my decision earlier? When I was trying to keep Auradon safe without my magic?!”

“Trying to keep Auradon safe??” Lia gasped, anger seeping into her tone but it was mostly surprise at how warped Mal’s perception of her choices was. “You wanted to close the isle’s barrier forever!!”

“WHAT?!“ a voice roared, and Mal spun around to face her alt self-who was practically glowing with pure anger and horror. “You did what?!?!” Alt Mal stormed past Lia as the others watched, some in horror, some in anger, some in growing betrayal. “You suggested to close the barrier?!”

Mal could hardly get any words out as her alt self got into her face; her teeth bared in anger. “How could you?! For what reason??” Alt Mal screamed, her fists clenched, steam-or was it smoke?-rising from her shoulders, hair, and fists, her anger so deep and hot that it seemed to seep out of her skin.

Mal opened her mouth to speak but alt Mal wouldn’t even let her get an edge in. “What about all those kids on the isle?! What about the food they need that come from the barges?! Were you just going to let them die?! To be abused and used by their own parents! We know what it was like on there-we know what it was like for them!” alt Mal points back at her friends, including the pirates, who all stare back at Mal in either hatred, or betrayal. “And you-over one single security problem, that could EASILY be solved-you just-close the barrier?! What were you thinking?!”

“I had to!” Mal tried to defend herself, stuttering over her words, unwilling to admit alt Mal’s words had shaken her resolve a bit, but she was stubborn, and thought she was the only protector Auradon had. “I had to try and keep the kingdom safe-even when I had no powers!”

“Lia did!!” Ben roared, snapping his teeth at Mal, his frustration at her self-importance, which made it terribly hard for her to even think about others being as ‘strong’/’helpful’ as her, growing.

“I have powers,” Lia said, as if she needed to remind anyone. “I promised that I would protect the kingdom. Mal sent me to find the crowd and the scepter, and that’s when Ben and I were trying to do until Audrey attacked.”

“See?!” Mal said, throwing her hands up, attempting to push blame onto Lia, as if she wasn’t the one to make Lia go on a wild goose chase in the first place. “The barrier wouldn’t have closed for good unless Lia failed too!”

“No! you do not get to pin this on her!” Jay stepped forward, pointing his finger at Mal in such a sudden way that she jumped back, her eyes going wide. “It’s getting tiring Mal. None of your bad decisions are ever your fault are they?! it’s always someone else. You said it’s Lia’s fault that your kiss didn’t break Uma’s spell, and now it’s her fault again if the barrier stayed closed forever?!”

Uma sneered at Mal, her fists clenched at her sides, looking pissed and just disappointed at the same time. “I should’ve never given you the ember back,”

“I was trying to protect the kingdom!” Mal protested; her fists clenched around the ember in her hands. “Lia and Ben wanted to put it in danger!”

“We wanted-to Help!” Ben roared, his cursed beastly form overtaking the human form, horns starting to grow from his head as his teeth sharpened. Lia turned to calm him, her hands resting on his shoulders.

Emotions and tension were running high in everyone, everyone, including alt Mal, were glaring at Mal-who seemed to only try and push the blame off herself even further-digging her grave only deeper.

“You wanted to help the wrong people! Your kingdom needed safety more than the isle kids needed freedom!” Mal snapped, and Evie, Uma, and Carlos flinched back at that-Mal implying that the Vks on the isle weren’t worth helping or were the wrong ones to help-even though they needed it the most. “This is wasting Time!” Mal huffed, turning to head out of the forest again to continue the search for Audrey. “The kingdom needs to be saved but standing here yelling about something that doesn’t matter anymore-“

Mal felt a hand on her arm that she knew must be Evie’s and turned, expecting to see Evie’s kind smile and peacekeeping grace, but only saw cold anger and tears in Evie’s brown eyes, and the righteous fury of Alt Mal and Rose, both glaring at her.

Evie held out her hand expectantly, Mal just stared.

“Give me the ember,” Evie said, defeated, angry.

Mal looked stunned at Evie’s command, blinking rapidly as she held the ember closer to her chest. “wha-“ She couldn’t believe that Evie, of all people, was turning on her too. “E, no. I’m the only one who can use the ember-“

Hadie and Alt Mal silenced Mal’s protest with a cold glare, Hadie’s hair lighting aflame as Mal’s eyes glowed a wicked yellow, both very pissed and living proof that Mal’s defense of ‘im the only one who can use the ember’ didn’t work.

“Unfortunately, I don’t trust you anymore…maybe I shouldn’t have ever trusted you.” Evie said far too calmly. Mal tightened her grip on the ember, clenching her jaw tightly.

“You’re choosing Lia over me?” Mal asked, as if that’s what Evie was doing, as if Evie was the one in the wrong.

“You wanted to abandon the isle.” Evie said, a tear slipping down her cheek, holding out her hand to Mal for the ember. “You wanted to abandon the kids still there. Why would I trust you anymore?”

Mal took another step back, her expression of shock and betrayal. How could they? They were supposed to be her friends, not Lia’s!

While everyone was distracted and focused on Mal, no one noticed Celia appearing and snatching the ember from Mal’s grip. “Give that back!” Mal yelped; the others now focused on Celia.

“Celia! You were supposed to stay with the others!” Alt Evie gasped as Mal reached for Celia, trying to get the ember back but Celia quickly darted out of reach.

“I actually thought you were brave!” Celia yelled, tears in her eyes as she glared at Mal. “turns out you’re just a big chicken!” Celia, in a fit of anger, threw the ember into the nearby birdbath and ran away.

“No!” Mal screamed, racing for the extinguished ember as it sparked and sputtered, quickly going from a glowing blue gem to a piece of coal.

“Celia!” Evie, Uma, Lia, and Rose all called out, watching the young girl race into the darkness of the enchanted forest.

“Shit,” Rose muttered under her breath, looking at Lia and Lia raced after Celia, Ben close behind. Rose let them, Lia could protect herself and Celia needed someone who could soften the blow and make things better rather than make things worse by being blunt.

-

Lia and Ben quickly caught up with Celia, Lia begging for the young teen to stop-the forest was far too dangerous right now with Audrey and Maleficent lurking. “I can't believe her!” Celia cried, clenching her jaw tightly. “Acting like the hero when she just wanted to close the barrier for good! She’s so-“ Celia let out a scream that rattled the sleeping forest, Lia stepped close, hovering her hand over Celia’s shoulder, unsure if Celia would be okay with her comforting her.

“I’m so sorry about her, about all of this,” Lia said softly, crouching in front of Celia as she sniffled. “But the barrier won't be closing for good. I promise.”

“Both of us…promise,” Ben said, his voice a deep grumble as he looked down at Celia, his eyes remorseful for letting things get this far.

Celia looked between the two, like she expected them to change their minds at any moment. “You won't let it happen?” she asked softly and both Lia and Ben shook their heads.

“No. We will get all the isle kids off,” Lia said with a reassuring smile. “No matter what Mal says now, her words will not stand. When Ben and I are officially king and queen, not even the so called ‘defender of Auradon’ can stop us.” Lia looked to Ben for support, and he nodded, there was no way in hell he was going to let Mal have her way. Again.

Celia made a face at the name. “that’s a stupid name.” she huffed, crossing her arms. “Mal doesn’t defend Auradon, she only defends herself.”

Lia wished she could argue against that, but she couldn’t, it was true. “I promise you’ll see your dad again Celia,” Lia said softly, smiling a bit as Celia gave her a skeptical look. She wished she knew exactly what to say to make Celia feel better about…all of this, but for now, all she could offer was a hug.

Celia surprised her by walking into her arms with little hesitation, holding onto Lia tightly as if to make sure Lia kept her promises.

A clap of thunder and the flash of pink lightning made the two jump apart, Lia turning to see a figure emerge from a swirl of pink smoke, familiar magenta tones and a green eerie glow meeting Lia’s gaze. “Aww, how sweet~” Audrey cooed, smirking at Celia and Lia.

 “Audrey!” Lia gasped, Celias running behind Ben for protection as Lia stood to face Audrey. “What are you doing here?!”

“Oh-I’m just offering my sympathy to the sweet little girl who was told she’d never see her father again,” Audrey cooed, pouting a bit as she looked at her scepter, which glowed with evil intent. “Mal disappoints us all, sooner or later, doesn’t she?” Audrey hummed, looking around, raising her brow at Ben who growled at her. “Oh dear, you’re looking better.” She mocked, tapping the scepter to the forest floor and blasting Celia and Ben off their feet with a wave of magenta magic.

Ben tumbled back roughly, while Celia rolled across the soft dirt. In a flash Audrey appeared behind her and grabbed Celia by the scruff of her collar, pulling her up into a tight grip that Celia couldn’t wiggle out of. “Lia help!” Celia screamed and Lia summoned her wings, leaping towards the two but they disappeared in an instant as Audrey cackled, raising her scepter and disappearing in a flash of pink lightning.

Lia’s wings furled and she stopped herself from hitting the ground, her eyes wide as Ben sat up, staring at the spot Audrey and Celia had disappeared from. They glanced at each other, Lia taking a moment to check on Ben, and then they rushed back towards Fairy Cottage.

-end of p3-

@dani-luminae @thetimelordbatgirl