#I was thinking this could be in my verse where glinda convinces her to go back before defying gravity maybe

[halfofozsfavouriteteam]

"Let's get you to bed, huh?"

Elphaba had been hunched over the Grimmerie for hours, studying the different spells contained within, but not attempting any of them just yet, aside from levitation. The words themselves came easily—inexplicably—but she wanted to master her pronunciation before she tried anything more complicated. There were so many incantations, she wasn’t quite sure where to begin. She had spent most of the semester learning how to levitate objects, and she had inadvertently done a sleeping spell in class. Some of the ones that manipulated the elements seemed interesting, but she certainly wasn’t going to try any of those within the Wizard’s library.

At some point, her eyes had gotten heavy, and the words on the page had begun to blur as she drifted off. She sat up in the armchair with a start when she heard the Wizard’s voice behind her, rubbing her eyes. “Oh—I…sorry, Your Ozness. I didn’t realize how long I’d been in here.” It had always been a habit of hers, more often than not, falling asleep on top of a book. Despite Glinda’s best efforts, she hadn’t been able to break it.

@wickedlywonderful

"Winter Bug" memes

[mid-sweettalk]

You don't have to publish this. For Stuck Safe or could be a new prompt, however this strikes you but would love to see something in the book place lol maybe Elphie gives Glinda a hand job so Glinda stops distracting her from her studies or they find a secluded spot in the library and blow job/sex ensues. Something like that lol. I just think the library would be a fun place. Take the prompt however it inspires you (if it inspires you)! Love your fics!

:)

[Stuck Safe verse smut under the cut]

Galinda is bored.

She is sitting with Elphaba in the book place—library, she hears her girlfriend’s voice in her head—at a table in the corner, away from the small handful of other students present. Elphaba has been studying for almost two hours, and Galinda really did try to study, as well—for about fifteen minutes. She’s missed her Elphie, as it’s coming up on the end of the semester and so their schedules have been filled with exams and final projects and papers and—

Well, she misses her.

“Elphieee,” she whines petulantly—very un-Alpha-like, though it is very Galinda like. “Can’t we at least go back to the room? You can keep reading there!”

Elphaba doesn’t look up from her textbook. “No, because you’ll just try to distract me.”

Galinda narrows her eyes and leans in close, turning her voice as sultry as she can. “And if I were to distract you right now?”

Elphaba raises an eyebrow, though her gaze still doesn’t leave the page in front of her. “Then I’ll sleep in my own bed tonight.”

Galinda’s jaw drops as she scoffs with indignation. She huffs and leans forward in her seat to splay across the table in front of them, face hidden by her hair. She hears Elphie’s faint chuckle and turns her head so she is looking at her girlfriend. She stares at her for a moment, admiring her verdant skin, her freckles, the quirk of those full lips in her amusement at the Alpha’s antics.

“I just miss you,” she admits, so softly it’s almost a whisper.

That finally gets Elphaba to look at her. Galinda bites her lip in embarrassment and slight guilt—she knows how important Elphie’s studies are to her; she doesn’t truly mean to be a distraction or hinder her in any way. She just misses her Omega.

“I’m sorry, my sweet,” Elphie says just as softly. “I miss you, too. I’ll make you a deal.” Galinda perks up a bit at that, but still doesn’t rise from where she is draped over the table. “If you’re good for me and let me finish one more chapter, we can head back to the dorm and you can have your wicked way with me.”

Galinda’s heart skips a beat in her chest before it begins racing, a pulse shooting down to her lower stomach. “O-okay,” she squeaks—again, very un-Alpha-like. Ever since Elphie had helped her through her rut a few weeks ago, and since they have officially gotten together, the Omega has made it very clear that she likes to take charge on occasion. Galinda definitely can never find it in her to complain.

Elphaba glances at the library surrounding them before returning her gaze to her book. But she keeps talking. “But you have to be good, alright?”

Galinda feels her eyebrows pinch together in confusion. “I—okay?” She goes to sit up, but Elphaba gives a subtle shake of her head.

“Lie there. Put your head in your arms. And stay quiet, understood?”

Galinda freezes, a chill running down her spine. “Elphie, what—“ she cuts herself off with a gasp as she feels a familiar hand gripping her inner thigh.

“Quiet, my sweet. Understood?” Elphaba gives her a pointed glance, and Galinda almost disobeys and moans right there.

Instead, she hides her now-blushing face in her folded arms and whimpers, “Y-yes.”

“‘Yes,’ what?”

Oh, Oz. She can feel herself hardening already. “Yes, my Omega.”

“Good girl.”

Elphaba’s long nails trail softly up Galinda’s thigh, pushing up the hem of her skirt as she does. Galinda takes a shaky breath and tries to stay perfectly still as the Omega’s hand brushes over the rapidly-growing bulge in her underwear.

Elphaba has long since convinced her to stop wearing compression undies to hide herself, so it is all too easy for her to slip Galinda’s dick out of the soft fabric. Galinda stifles a gasp as Elphie grips the shaft and swipes her thumb over the tip. She can feel her own nails dig into her palms with the effort to restrain herself. When Elphaba starts moving her fist up and down her dick, Galinda bites her lip so hard she draws blood.

“That’s it, love,” Elphaba whispers, sending a shiver down Galinda’s body. “You’re doing so well. Such a good Alpha for me.” Galinda briefly wonders if Elphie is actually getting any reading done.

She bites at her hand for good measure, trying so hard to keep her face hidden and voice quiet. Elphie’s hand moves faster, fully jerking her off underneath the table. Oz, what if someone were to come over to them? The threat of being caught is thrillifying and, along with the sound of her Omega’s voice, rapidly brings her to the brink of an orgasm. Her dick twitches in Elphaba’s grip.

“Do you want to come for me, darling?” Elphie whispers as she squeezes the base of her cock with each pass of her hand.

“Oh, fuck,” she accidentally lets slip out, though it’s still in a whisper. Thank Oz Elphaba doesn’t stop, because then she is coming, shoulders shuddering and mouth falling open in a silent gasp. She feels her release spill out of her in pulses and realizes they’ll have to clean up the mess beneath the table before they leave.

Elphie continues to stroke her through her orgasm, easing up so that she softens instead of hardening again. She gently tucks Galinda’s cock back into her underwear and gives it a little pat that makes the Alpha breathe out a shaky laugh. Elphaba then fixes her skirt and removes her hand.

“Almost done,” she says, still conspiratorially quiet. “You should go grab some napkins from the cafeteria. Wouldn’t want to leave a mess for someone to find.”

Galinda swallows heavily and takes a a moment to steady herself before she sits up. She stares at Elphaba in amazement; at first she wonders how she is keeping herself so calm and collected, but then she notices the flush in her cheeks, the sweetness of her scent.

Her Omega is turned on.

“Be done by the time I get back,” Galinda says, putting a minuscule amount of her Alpha tone in her voice. Elphaba raises an eyebrow and glances over at her, but she merely flushes deeper and nods.

Galinda smirks and makes sure her clothes are fixed and proper before she stands to grab the napkins. She leans down to press a lingering kiss to Elphaba’s cheek before she leaves and relishes the hitch she can hear in her Omega’s breath as she does so.

Elphaba does not get any more studying done that day.

[lilacmoon83]

Finding You Always

Also on Fanfiction.net and A03

Chapter 190: I'll Make a Man Out of You

At dinner last evening, Snow and David detailed their plan to Phillip and Aurora, only to be met with overwhelming support and excitement from the other royal pair. In addition, Red was so excited that she could barely contain her joy. She loved her life with Mulan and being with her, but she missed her them, Granny, and her Godchildren very much. So naturally, Mulan was on board as well, knowing how happy it was going to make Red.

They graciously enjoyed Phillip and Aurora's hospitality and got a good night's sleep in the guest wing of their castle, before awakening the next morning to enjoy breakfast with them. And before they knew it, it was time to move on.

"We'll see you soon," Snow said, as she hugged Aurora and David shook hands with Phillip.

"We are excited for this new direction," Phillip stated, as Phillip Jr. and Bobby said their goodbyes too. The boys were about the same age and fast friends.

"Us too," David agreed.

"Where will you go now?" Aurora asked curiously.

"Well...we were hoping Mulan could get us an audience with the Emperor of her land and then I suppose we'll have to visit King Francis in the Southern Isles. As much as we never cared for him, we don't feel it's right to exclude a Kingdom solely based on their ruler," Snow explained.

"Oh...King Francis passed away two years ago. His eldest son rules now," Phillips said.

"Do you know much about him?" David asked curiously.

"He seems to be a more just ruler than his father, but I'm afraid I have not met him directly, only representatives of his. He seemed to be appalled by what his youngest brother Hans tried to do in Arendelle, but I don't know if that was because he got caught and it reflected badly on his Kingdom or if he was truly appalled by his acts," Phillip advised. David nodded.

"We'll go into that one carefully," he said. They nodded and gathered with their children, while Mulan and Red joined them.

"The Emperor does not take meetings from outsiders often, but he is well versed in the legend of the Dragon King. If I explain that you are the next pair to hold the title of truest loves, he may grant you an audience," Mulan explained.

"And if he doesn't?" Snow asked.

"I will present your case for you," Mulan answered. They smiled.

"Thank you Mulan," the raven haired beauty said, as her husband toss a bean and a swirling orange portal appeared before them. With that, they, their children, Red, and Mulan stepped through to their intended destination.

~*~

Nephilim

Regina and Mim followed Seth, as he led them to a chamber in the bowels of his palace. Once they walked in, it was clear that it was a treasure room. It was filled with gold, silver, precious jewels, ancient artifacts, diamonds, and acquired items that Regina assumed were probably significant pieces.

"So...is there something in here that can help us?" Regina asked.

"I believe so," Seth responded, as he retrieved a helm from the highest shelf.

"And what exactly is this?" she asked.

"You uneducated fool...you don't recognize such an ancient prize?" Mim snapped.

"Easy Mim...I obtained this helmet long before she was even thought of, let alone born," Seth eased, as he put the cap on to demonstrate its power and Regina was astonished to see him disappear. He removed it and reappeared again.

"Hades' cap of invisibility. I took it from him centuries ago, before my banishment. You see, before they ousted me from my home, I put many things I acquired in a sort of magical dimensional pocket and when I arrived here, I found that I was able to retrieve everything I had stashed away." he replied.

"That's a fascinating trick. Care to teach it to me sometime?" Regina questioned.

"Pff...you're barely worthy enough to polish his boots, let alone become an apprentice," Mim protested.

"Your ambition is very refreshing. Perhaps a lesson or two is in order, but first, we need to figure out how to conceal this land and the curse from Storybrooke," he purported.

"We need to be hidden in plain sight so we may infiltrate our enemies and only reveal ourselves when we are ready," he continued.

"And you think the answer is in Hades' invisibility cap?" Regina inquired.

"I think if we melt this helm down and add its magical invisibility properties to the curse...then yes, I think it will work," Seth responded. She smirked.

"I don't see why it wouldn't. This is a powerful artifact...it could be exactly what we need," she agreed. He smirked back.

"Then let's proceed with our plan," he said.

~*~

"Order up!" Frankie called, as he finished the last of the breakfast rush. He and Joe were thoroughly enjoying their new lives in this extraordinary little town. They were still astounded at how the Charmings had basically adopted them into their large family and they had never been so grateful.

The last order, being that of apple pancakes and other breakfast and lunch items, went out to Regina's table. They were enjoying a late family breakfast that morning. Joining her was Robin and Roland of course, along with Chad, Zelena, Jade, Alice, who naturally brought Emma and Killian with her.

"Thanks Joe," Emma said, as she dug into her grilled cheese and onion rings.

"You're very welcome. So...how do you think things are going for your parents?" Joe asked curiously.

"Oh, I actually talked to them last night through magical Skype," she replied. His brow furrowed.

"Magical Skype?" he asked. She smirked.

"Also known as an enchanted looking glass. With the chalice, it allows them to talk to us through an enchanted looking glass, no matter where they are," she clarified. He shook his head.

"Amazing…" he said.

"Yeah, so they've visited Agrabah, the Maritime Kingdom, and were in King Phillips Kingdom last night. All three are overall excited and on board with it all," Emma reported.

"Agrabah...that's Aladdin, right?" Joe asked.

"Of course it is. His knowledge of fairy tales is embarrassing," Frankie complained.

"And yours is a little scary," Joe retorted.

"Right. And the Maritime Kingdom is ruled by King Eric and Queen Ariel. My Mom and Ariel go way back as friends," Emma added.

"Snow White and the Little Mermaid...now how come Disney never made that movie?" Frankie joked.

"You did see what they did to my parent's story, right?" Emma reminded.

"Very true...I read the book version and the mouse didn't even come close to doing them justice," Joe agreed.

"So King Phillip...we talking the Sleeping Beauty thing?" Frankie questioned.

"Yep and today, they're going with our Aunt Red and Mulan to see if they can get an audience with the Emperor of China...not this Earth's China...but that China," Emma explained. Joe shook his head.

"Mulan...unreal," he said in amazement, as the bell on the diner chimed and Mr. Hyde walked in.

"Mr. Hyde...I see you're back from the Land of Untold Stories. I hope you have good news," Regina stated.

"I do...I was weary about any of the residents that still remain there putting their faith in me. Thankfully, I had the foresight to take Aesop with me," he reported.

"And?" Robin asked.

"They were leery of course, but Aesop used his own experience to convince them. He told them that he too was afraid to resume his own story, but that doing so was the best thing he ever did, because Storybrooke allowed him a fresh start," Hyde replied.

"So...the Land of Untold Stories is on board?" Killian asked. He nodded curtly.

"Yes...thanks to Aesop's help, they are welcoming this new endeavor," Hyde answered.

"That's good news," Regina agreed, with a smile.

"Yeah...and if Mulan's Kingdom is on board, that just leaves the Southern Isles, the Land Without Color, Oz, and Neverland," Emma said.

"Yes and we might as well already count Neverland in. Your parents have a good relationship with Tigerlily and the tribes," Killian added.

"Zelena says that Glinda will likely get on board fairly easily too. Let's hope then Whale has good luck and that the Southern Isles are ruled by a better ruler than Hans," Regina stated.

"Sounds like things are on track," Frankie mentioned.

"Yeah, but I'm still trying to wrap my head around the fact that Mr. Hyde is the good guy. That's not the book I read, Joe joked. Regina smirked.

"Oh there's always a twist around here," she responded, as they continued to eat and enjoy each other's company.

~*~

The Nine Realms

Midgard or Earth

New Asgard

Rose and Fandral, along with the children, followed Valkyrie and Sif to a modest dwelling within New Asgard.

"I feel I must warn you one more time. He's in quite a state," Sif said, as she turned to them.

"To be fair, I've seen Thor drunk before," Fandral replied, but she gave him a dire look.

"Not like this. No one has ever seen him quite like this," she admonished, as she and Valkyrie went inside. Rose squeezed his hand, as he took a deep breath and their eyes met.

"I'm here, my love...no matter what," she promised, as she kissed his cheek and they followed them inside.

The first thing they noticed was how utterly messy the place was and it appeared that Thor already had company in the form of a couple of creatures, the species of which he was unfamiliar. They all held game controllers and he recognized the devices as items he had seen in Storybrooke in the Charming household around the television.

His old friend, looking as disheveled as he had ever seen, jumped up and cheered in victory, though Fandral could see that the victory was something happening on the screen.

"Yes...the strongest Avenger strikes again," he boasted, as he took another swig of beer and stumbled slightly.

"Okaaay...you were right," Fandral told Sif.

"Out you two," Sif ordered to Korg and Miek.

"But we're on the verge of winning the whole thing," Korg complained.

"He's right...and victory shall be ours!" Thor boasted, as he slammed the beer bottle down and it shattered to pieces.

"Now morons," Valkyrie ordered and the two aliens quickly scurried out of the house. Neither was stupid enough to cross Valkyrie or Sif.

"S'okay...I shall take on this valiant quest alone," Thor slurred drunkenly. Valkyrie rolled her eyes and shut the television off.

"Hey...I'm Thor Odinson, King of Asgard. You can't just turn the King's television off," he complained.

"Sit your drunk…" Valkyrie started say.

"Valkyrie...they're are children present," Sif warned. She looked annoyed by that. Not at the children, but rather at the fact that she had to watch her mouth.

"Just sit," she snapped and he did so, as he finally looked up and saw the people with them. He squinted his eyes and then shook his head, before squinting again. He looked at the beer in his hand with scrutiny.

"Okay...someone definitely spiked this stuff, because now I'm seeing ghosts," he drawled. Fandral sighed.

"You're not seeing a ghost...I'm real," he confirmed, as he knelt down at eye level with his troubled friend.

"But how…" he wondered, as one could practically see the mental gymnastics his brain was performing in trying to figure out exactly how a member of the Warriors Three was alive.

"It's a very long story; one of which I am eager to tell you. But it is also one that you are not sober enough for," Fandral replied. Thor chuckled.

"Yeah...I'm pretty drunk," he agreed, as he looked up and fought the tears in his eyes. Fandral had known him a long time and could see past his bluster and drunken stupor. His oldest friend was in a lot of pain.

"Are they part of your story?" Thor questioned, as clarity started to break through. Thankfully, the ale on Midgard was about as weak as he remembered, compared to that of true Asgardian ale. And that meant Thor would sober up much faster.

"Very much so," Fandral replied.

"Here...coffee," Sif said, as she handed a mug to him.

"Two creams and three sugars?" he asked. She gave him a stern look.

"No black...now drink it," she ordered and he didn't disobey, as he sipped at the scalding liquid. While he was sobering up, they all found chairs and prepared to hear Fandral's tale and learn about the family he had with him.

~*~

New Orleans

2018

Cecily walked along the docks in the reclusive Bayou marina and approached one empty stall, which was being manned by a lone deck hand. The deck hand looked up to see her and looked surprised.

"Ms. Clayton...you're alive," the man said.

"Yes...unlike father, I survived that fiasco in Seattle. I need the submarine. We're leaving this land, Sykes," she replied. He nodded nervously, as he spotted the Military officials with her.

"Something wrong, Major?" Cecily asked the other woman, who seemed glued to her phone.

"The fall out from Seattle is not going away. Social media is still on fire with the whole thing and the news outlets are discussing it to death. The magic is real thing isn't going away," she revealed.

"And it probably won't," Cecily responded.

"There are even civilians conducting expeditions in the woods of Maine, looking for the source. We never mentioned anything in the news about Storybrooke or Maine. How did they even know to explore Maine as a possible source?" she questioned.

"Rumors and whispers of Storybrooke, magic, and its existence, as well as the people that might dwell there have been on the dark web for years now," Cecily answered.

"But trust me, Snow and Charming have the town well protected. They're not going to find anything. There is only two ways into Storybrooke these days, short of an actual curse," Cecily revealed.

"And those are?" the Major questioned.

"Portal or through the barrier. And for that, we'll need mermaid scales, which is what the outer coating of my father's submarine is made of," Cecily answered.

"Fine...where is this submarine?" the Major snapped. Sykes fished something out of a net kept in the water and revealed it to be a control of some kind, obviously waterproof. He pressed a button and a massive submarine surfaced.

"Impressive," the Major stated.

"Tell me, Mr. Sykes, is it?" the Major questioned.

"Yes Ma'am," the nervous, scraggly man replied.

"How does this Submarine know which land to go to?" the Major inquired.

"The Submarine crosses realms through the All World River and the Collector had me program all the significant ones of interest into the GPS system on board," Sykes answered.

"Sykes was my father's technical guru," Cecily confirmed.

"Is that so? Then it's safe to say that you know much about these realms we're about to visit?" the Major questioned.

"Yes Ma'am...I have an entire database on all the realms the Collector ever visited. I also have an entire scope of Storybrooke and complete records of all the prominent members in the town. Add to that, I have the Collector's blueprints of Atlantis and a database of every item and person he ever collected," Sykes revealed. The Major smirked.

"That is excellent news," she stated, as she pulled a gun with a silencer out of her inside jacket pocket and shot Cecily in the head. Sykes put his hands up in surrender.

"Don't worry, Mr. Sykes. You work for me now and will be paid well for your complete cooperation, if so choose," she said. He nodded.

"I'm at your service, ma'am," he agreed.

"Tell me...are these waters infested with alligators?" she questioned. He nodded.

"Heavily, ma'am," he answered.

"Good…" she replied, as she kicked the body into the water. The animals would smell blood and there wouldn't be a body left soon.

"You're now our guide, Mr. Sykes. We have five years to find everything I need to take control of this magic and town concealed from us by the Charmings," she stated. Sykes nodded.

"I helped the Collector build his Empire...I can help you too," Sykes responded, as they boarded the Submarine and left the Land Without Magic.

~*~

While Mulan requested a meeting with the Emperor, Snow, David, the kids, and Red experienced the vibrant and lively Marketplace in the Capital city. Summer and Bobby were enthralled by the sights and sounds, especially the paper dragons and hand crafted lanterns. They got to sample some of the local cuisine too, which they all enjoyed.

It wasn't long before Mulan returned and seemed in good spirits.

"I have presented your request to the Emperor and he has accepted with an invitation for us all to join him for evening meal. He actually seems very eager to meet you," she reported.

"That's wonderful...thank you Mulan. Can you help us with proper attire?" Snow asked. The last thing she wanted to do was offend the Emperor.

"Actually, normally it would be required for you to dress in traditional robes of this land. But since you and David are royal dignitaries, the Emperor requests that you dress in traditional attire from the Kingdom from which you hail. He likes to experience other cultures when he the opportunity arises," she explained.

"Oh, then we'll still need a bit of time to conjure up some with the Chalice," Snow said. Mulan nodded.

"We have been granted a suite in the Emperor's palace," Mulan confirmed.

"Does this mean I have to wear another uncomfortable outfit?" Bobby complained.

"You'll get by," Snow assured, as she ruffled his hair and kissed his cheek.

"Mom…" he complained in embarrassment. David chuckled, as they followed Mulan into the palace and they were led to the suite.

Since Red was Mulan's consort and considered a citizen of the Emperor's Kingdom now, she dressed in a traditional silk Chinese dress, which was red in color, with a pink floral pattern. Mulan shed her armor and exchanged it for the traditional dress uniform that a member of the Chinese army would wear.

Snow chose Charming's red coat for him with his white tunic and black leather pants. And she had a lot of fun putting her son in a mini version of his father's outfit. Bobby endured his mother and Aunt Red gushing over how cute he looked. For Summer, she kept with her daughter's favorite color and chose a beautiful orchid colored gown for her and she and Red enjoyed giving her caramel colored hair princess curls.

Finally, Snow chose a white gown for herself that had a silver sheer overlay, which complimented her husband's attire well. She donned her tiara as well and Mulan led them to the dining hall where they would meet the Emperor.

When they entered, they were met by the steely gaze of the Emperor's top councilor, who looked none too happy about impromptu visitors, especially outsiders.

"Chi-Fu, I present Queen Snow and King David of Misthaven and their children, Princess Summer and Prince Bobby," Mulan announced. Snow and David bowed to the sour looking man and their children followed suit.

"You have been granted an audience with the Emperor, but his dining chamber is no place for children. They can eat in the servants dining nook," he stated.

"No...our children will eat with us," Snow refuted and the man fumed. It was painfully clear that this man not only didn't like outsiders, but he didn't particularly care for women, especially a woman in power.

"You are a visitor on this land...and you do not wield any power here," he refuted.

"Chi-Fu...your attitude dishonors us all and reflects badly on us," a voice said, as they looked behind the man to find a man in golden silk robes with a hat that signified his position of power.

"E...Emperor…" Chi-Fu squeaked, as he bowed deeply.

"The children are most welcome at my dining table," he stated.

"Thank you Emperor," Snow said graciously, as they all gave a deep bow.

"You must excuse Chi-Fu. I am afraid he is very much stuck in the past and chooses tradition over innovation much of the time," the Emperor stated.

"Tradition is important, but not at the price of making us stagnant," he continued.

"We couldn't agree more, Emperor and we are honored that you have accepted our request for a meeting," Snow said graciously. The Emperor gave a small smile.

"We once kept our gates closed tightly to outsiders and we were invaded anyway. Closing our gates only led to fear of outsiders and that is one tradition that I do not want to continue," the Emperor stated.

"I get the feeling that you somehow have an inkling of why we're here," David mentioned. The Emperor nodded at the younger man.

"I have studied ancient scrolls that detail this land's history quite thoroughly and within those scrolls foretells a prophetic future. As we dine, perhaps you will allow me to regale a tale to you that I believe you may find very interesting," the Emperor stated.

"We would love to hear it, Your Majesty," Snow agreed eagerly. The Emperor nodded and began to tell his story.

~*~

Flashback

Rose Red gasped, as she saw the injured man, who had seemingly dropped out of the sky. She had heard of such occurrences though; portals from other places and wondered if this man had come from such. As she got closer, she noticed how serious his wound was and called for the dwarf that lorded over her.

"He might as well be dead already. What do you want me to do about it?" he snapped at the girl.

"No...he's alive! He still draws breath, however faintly. You must heal him with your magic!" she pleaded.

"Oh...and just why would I do that? He has done nothing for me," the dwarf griped.

"Please...I will owe you the favor!" she begged. And the evil dwarf smirked deviously. He had just received word that there was a very rich Lord that wished to have Rose Red's hand in marriage. Just the riches a deal like that could barter him was too tempting and having her owe him ensured that he would benefit greatly.

"Fine stupid girl...I'll save this stranger and then you shall repay me with whatever favor I desire," he growled, as he used his magic and healed the handsome stranger's wound.

As the man opened his eyes, Rose was captivated by the bluest eyes she had ever seen. The stranger saw the beautiful woman kneeling over him and was also captivated by her beauty.

"Where...where am I?" he asked.

"You are in my garden...you were gravely injured. I bartered a favor from this dwarf to heal your wound," she replied. His brow furrowed.

"But you don't even know me? Why would help me?" he asked in awe. She looked down shyly.

"I could not let you die…" she said, as he sat up and their hands brushed, as an electricity passed between them.

"What is your name?" he asked.

"Rose Red…" she answered.

"I am Fandral of Asgard...or at least I was," he introduced himself, as he stood up and towered over her.

"Was?" she asked.

"I'm afraid Asgard is gone...I was fatally wounded in an apocalyptic battle or so I thought," he replied.

"You must have fallen through a portal as your world collapsed," she surmised.

"And then you saved my life," he added.

"It seemed like the honorable thing to do," she said, as they stared at each other.

~*~

"And that's how I found myself in a new land. As far as we can figure, a portal was opened up as Asgard collapsed and I fell through it into the All World River, which would have killed a normal sentient being. But somehow, I clung to life, though unconscious and was deposited into the realm I now call my home," he explained.

"Extraordinary. We always suspected there were more than our nine realms, but never knew for sure," Sif stated.

"And you've been there for over twenty years now?" Valkyrie questioned.

"Yes...we have learned that time passes much faster in our realm than some others," he replied, as he looked at his wife.

"Rose and I fell in love, defeated her evil Uncle and took back her Kingdom from him, and started a family," he added. Sif smiled gently.

"I see that...care to properly introduce us?" she asked.

"Of course, this is my wife, Queen Rose Red, our eldest daughter Carina, and our twins Benjamin and Arianna," he said.

"A pleasure to meet all of you, though you seem to know quite a lot about us. And you seem to have knowledge of what has happened here. How is that possible?" Sif asked.

"My Kingdom has been tasked with guarding and maintaining the Library of Story for all the realms, a responsibility tasked to us by the Goddess Hermes. She even granted me an Asgardian lifespan so that I could live as long as Fandral and our children," Rose answered.

"Naturally, I became curious about the fates of those that survived Ragnarok and we retrieved the storybook for this realm. And to our horror, that's when we learned about the snap," he stated, watching his old friend, who had been silent, carefully.

"We wanted to come sooner, but I couldn't risk my family while that monster was still alive," Fandral explained.

"A wise decision," Thor finally spoke and Sif noticed the tension.

"Perhaps a tour of New Asgard is in order for Rose and the children," she suggested. Rose smiled and nodded.

"That would be lovely," she agreed, as she gave her husband a quick, encouraging gaze, before shuffling the children out, leaving Fandral and Thor alone.

"You have a beautiful family…" Thor mentioned, which brought a smile to Fandral's face.

"Thank you...they're my life," he agreed.

"As they should be," Thor agreed in return.

"I'm sorry...I thought that everyone was lost. I didn't come back…" Fandral started to say, but Thor put his hand up.

"You don't have to apologize for being happy and finding a life. I am happy for you," Thor said and Fandral's shoulders relaxed a bit in relief.

"Do you really think I would begrudge you such?" Thor questioned.

"No...I guess I'm just dealing with a bit of guilt since learning what really happened after Ragnarok. First, I was overjoyed that some of our people survived and that you killed Hela. And then…" Fandral said, trailing off.

"Thanos...you couldn't have known and by the time you did, judging by the difference in the passage of time, you had a family already," Thor replied.

"I know...Rose says I have survivor's guilt," he added. Thor smiled slightly.

"A friend told me that I have the same, especially since I could have stopped him," Thor added, as he got up and looked out the window, before turning back.

"I had him...I was so close to stopping him. I had my axe in his chest!" Thor ranted.

"You couldn't have known exactly what he was going to do," Fandral reminded.

"Oh but I did. He had all the stones and I could have cut the head off the monster himself, but I didn't," Thor responded.

"And when I did...it was too late. The damage was already done," he lamented.

"But you can still live. You can help other survivors move on," Fandral advised.

"How can I help them when I can't help myself?" Thor questioned brokenly. Fandral put a hand on his shoulder.

"Because I'll be there to help you," he assured. Thor smiled slightly.

"I appreciate that, my friend. But you have a family to care for and from what I hear, a Kingdom to protect now," he replied.

"And you have the bi-frost and I know a Goddess that can bring me here for frequent visits. Travel is not all that difficult between the realms anymore," Fandral said.

"I am not good company," Thor warned. Fandral chuckled.

"I'm familiar with your moods and I assure you that my wife and children can cheer up even the saddest sack," Fandral mused.

"Well then...perhaps we join that tour and I get to know your family," Thor suggested. Fandral smiled.

"An excellent idea," Fandral agreed, as they left the house.

~*~

And when the dust settled and the Gods finally banished the vicious and evil Typhon, there was peace in the realms for a time. But the damage was done. The battle was so catastrophic and so earth shattering that all the lands had been severed and broken apart from each other. Portals had swallowed up many of the lands and scattered them across the stars of their sector. Now, instead of one realm with many Kingdoms, they now had ten realms and a division that was never intended. But not even the Gods had the power to repair this.

However, Athena decreed a prophecy on that day that there would be hope. She prophesied that there would one day be a pair with the power to reunite the realms and end the division. They would not be Gods, but mortals that shared an incredible true love and many of the Gods scoffed at such a notion. But one Goddess did not, for she knew it would come to pass. The Goddess Aphrodite knew that one day, she could champion a pair with a love so powerful that they would bring light to the darkness and unite all. They would be hold the greatest amount of light magic ever and in turn create such magic into a bloodline that would flourish.

~*~

"Then it was this creature, Typhon, that caused all the realms to break apart?" Snow questioned with fascination.

"Yes...mother Gaia bore him from Tartarus itself as revenge for the Gods imprisoning the Titans and killing the Giants. He was so powerful that the Gods knew they could not kill him," the Emperor regaled.

"So they banished him," David surmised. The Emperor nodded.

"They suspended him with a powerful spell and then cast him into Oceanus where he would remain suspended for all eternity in the harsh oblivion of the All World River," he continued.

"And the prophecy...you think it speaks of us?" Snow questioned. The Emperor smiled gently.

"You and your husband seek to do just what the prophecy says, do you not?" he questioned in return. They exchanged a glance and then nodded.

"Yes Emperor…" David answered.

"There was a time that my ancestors thought that it would be your predecessors that would do this. But I am afraid, as powerful as their love was, they were not the ones chosen for this. But I believe, after everything the two of you have faced and accomplished, that you will be the ones to reunite the realms," he stated.

"Then we would be honored if your Kingdom agreed to be a part of the United Realms," Snow said eloquently. He smiled.

"My people and I will be honored," he said.

"Sire...are you sure this is a wise move?" Chi-Fu questioned.

"I know how leery you are of outsiders, Chi-Fu, but inclusion breeds ignorance. We learned that when the Huns almost destroyed us and we will not make the same mistake again," the Emperor decreed.

"We will join the United Realms and forge a prosperous path to a new future," he added. They smiled.

"Thank you Emperor…we are truly honored," Snow said graciously.

"The honor is mine," the Emperor said, as Bobby whispered something to his father. David smiled.

"Emperor...my son would like to ask you a question," David said.

"Of course young one, please," he replied.

"Can you tell us about the war with the Huns?" Bobby requested.

"Certainly...we faced a threat to our way of life in the form of Shan Yu. Now, there was once a Shan Yu that served in the Dragon King's army, over a thousand years ago. But when he betrayed the King, he was cast out and his descendants swore revenge for their leader's punishment," the Emperor said.

"They were exiled to Mongolia and their hatred of our Kingdom was harbored for a thousand years until Shan Yu's descendant, a man of the same name in honor of the man they considered their greatest leader, rose up and invaded us," he continued.

"Fortunately, thanks in large part to Mulan, he did not succeed," the Emperor said.

"Can you tell us more about the Dragon King and Queen?" Bobby requested. The Emperor chuckled.

"Our children love their stories," Snow said, smiling at him.

"As do I. It is not often that I find someone that wants to listen to my telling of the ancient scrolls. But yes, I can tell you much about those ancient times," the Emperor said, as he continued to regale them with tales.

~*~

"You know, I don't see why this is necessary. I'm fine," Emma complained, as she sat on her sister's exam table.

"Your heart was poisoned," Eva reminded, as they waited for the results of Emma's routine blood tests.

"But you just said that physically I'm in perfect shape," the blonde complained.

"And you are, but I want to make sure your insides are just as healthy. You may have been cured, but you know magic can be tricky. Just humor me, please," Eva replied.

"Mom and Dad put you up to this, didn't they?" Emma questioned.

"Maybe...but I would have wanted to do it even if they didn't suggest it, so hush," Eva retorted. Emma huffed impatiently.

"Honestly, you're a worse patient than Leo and that's saying something," Eva chided.

"You know I hate hospitals," Emma retorted, but Eva just shook her head at his older sister's antics, as the nurse delivered the test results. Eva took them and began looking them over.

"So…?" Emma asked.

"Everything is normal," Eva replied.

"Told you…" Emma said, as she grabbed her jacket and noticed the beaming smile on her sister's face.

"Except one anomaly," Eva said.

"What? What anomaly? And why are you smiling like you just one the lottery?" Emma asked.

"Because you, big sister, are pregnant…" Eva announced, bringing a look of shock to Emma's face.

"What?" she questioned.

"You heard me," Eva replied.

"But...I don't really have any symptoms at all!" Emma cried.

"I mean, I've felt a bit sick here and there, but nothing like I was with Henry. I was barfing all the time with him," she replied. Eva shrugged.

"All pregnancies are different. Remember, Mom could barely get out of the bathroom with Summer and then the morning sickness she had with Bobby was fairly mild," Eva reminded.

"Yeah...wow…" Emma said, letting it sink in.

"Are you happy?" Eva asked, watching a smile slowly eclipse her sister's face.

"Uh...yeah I am," she realized, as they hugged.

"Congratulations...when are you going to tell Killian?" Eva asked.

"Tonight I guess...and Mom and Dad will be over the moon, I know," she replied. Eva nodded.

"Oh yeah...another grand baby for them to spoil," the younger said with a laugh, just as Whale came in.

"There you are," he said, addressing Emma.

"Excuse me, but she's my patient and you can't just barge in here," Eva scolded him.

"Easy mini Snow...it's important," Whale replied. Emma rolled her eyes.

"Well, since you're back, then you must have news from the Land Without Color?" Emma questioned, as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Uh yeah...I kind of blew it. Turns out, they all still pretty much hate me and think I'm some kind of mad scientist," Whale responded.

"You are," Emma reminded. Whale winced.

"Fair point, but maybe this is for the best. They're all scared of anything they don't understand. I'm not sure they'll ever accept any of this," he stated.

"Maybe...but I think we should give it one more try and this time Eva and Paul should go with you," Emma suggested.

"Us?" Eva asked in surprise.

"Yeah...you're both doctors too. And you have magic and amazing healing abilities. You can show them that this is a land of opportunity and they have nothing to fear," Emma replied.

"What makes you think she and Paul can convince them when I couldn't?" Whale asked.

"Because you're you," Emma deadpanned.

"Another fair point...well, I'll be off then," Whale said, intending to head for the Rabbit Hole.

"Wrong Frankenstein...you're going with them and the three of you leave in the morning," Emma said. Eva nodded.

"Fun...a trip with Whale. I'll go tell Paul. He'll be thrilled," Eva said sarcastically, as she went to find her husband.

"Hey...I'm a lot of fun!" Whale claimed. Emma rolled her eyes and walked out of the exam room, thinking about her news. She smiled from ear to ear and left to the hospital in search of Killian to tell him her news.

[blackcatarts]

What are your opinions on these songs: Blue, For Good, Burn,No John Trumble,Finale, Finale,and All Star

You’ve done it now anon, brought out the music nerd in me,,,

Blue: I know the song has very serious connotations dealing with consent, but I can’t help but enjoy it, because musically it’s so well done. The entire song is written and composed extremely well to fit the mood and GOD, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Kurt and Ram have incredible singing voices that I’m upset didn’t get more lines in the musical. Kurt’s belt at the end kills me every time, and I swear to god, I’ll never get over it.

For Good: I!! Love!! This!! Song!! The lyrics mean so much, it’s so honest and open, where Elphaba and Glinda bear their hearts for each other for what appears to be the first time in the musical. It’s heart wrenching and heart breaking. I sang this song with my “rival” one time too, so it makes me nostalgic. I live for the harmonies at the very end too, and the way it ends in the musical, with Elphaba hurriedly telling Glinda to hide after that emotional journey,,,, IT’S!! SO!! GOOD!!

Burn: Oh my god, okay, so this song is absolutely incredible. It starts out with the soft piano that sort of sets the mood in a way as Eliza walks onstage. It follows her emotions musically, where it starts off quiet, heart broken and by the second verse she’s gone to betrayed. By the time we reach the bridge she’s absolutely heart broken and destroyed, and it SHOWS. Her voice is so incredibly powerful, the way that she belts with strength, but you can still hear her breaking. Then by the end she’s quiet again, showing that more than upset, she’s sad. It’s heart breaking and so well done!!

No John Trumbull: I actually had to give this one another listen, as I don’t have a strong opinion on it. Like all songs in Hamilton, I admire the strong wordplay, but as a rap, I can’t really comment on it from a musical standpoint. It’s understandable that it was removed, as it’s sort of a filler song for a character we never see represented in the play. HOWEVER, I like Madison and Hamilton ragging on him. I’m always down for Madison being a savage.

You wrote Finale twice. I assume that you mean the Pippin finale and the Wicked finale?

Finale (Pippin): I’m kind of upset with the way that they did it in the cast recording, as they got rid of the leading player’s speech, however I’ll get to that in a bit. I LOVE THE FINALE! How it starts off kind of underwhelming, as this is what the entire show has been leading up to, and even Pippin seems shocked that “That’s it?”. But then the leading player does her think about the sun bit, and oh my gOD it’s slow at first, persuasive, and even Pippin starts to consider it as the music swells and the song grows more hyper, but right as he’s about to jump it STOPS. Then he revisits the motto he’s been singing throughout the entire musical, but this time he realizes that maybe he’s not meant for great things, which hits HARD. I get so emotional every time I get to the “We never came close my love, we nearly came near..” part because it’s so heartfelt and real and AAAAAAAAH??? But then there’s the speech, the leading player going around and pointing out to Pippin what he’s going to miss, growing more aggressive but cracking a little bit when she whispers “It’s over….” before jumping right back into her place as a leader and quickly instructing everyone to pack up, even speaking directly to the orchestra pit, which I think is hilarious and ingenious! Then the stage is empty except for poor Theo… my heart rips in half when he gets sucked into the world of the circus because part of me is afraid that he won’t be as strong as Pippin and we’ll never find out. I also wonder what the ending would have been if Pippin went through with the finale. All in all, 11/10, absolutely adore the entire musical. Wish I could watch it again,, I can barely remember the finale from when I watched it,,, I also apparently have blocked out all memory of With You. ANYWAY-

Finale (Wicked): MAKES ME CRY EVERY DAMN TIME?? Like.. it’s already so smart to repeat the first song with a more dark and somber tone, as at the start of the play we were like the townsfolk, believing that Elphaba was a terrible person, but now having seen her entire life, we’re more quiet and in shock and convinced that she didn’t deserve it. You have Fiyero and Elphaba repeating their exchange from As Long As You’re Mine but with the roles reversed, which is so sweet and kind of adorable. I’m upset that wasn’t in the cast recording,,,, But anyway. Then you have Glinda. In the beginning we’re confused as to why she’s almost defending the witch, but now we know. It only makes it more obvious as to why she freezes up at the start when the townsfolk start chanting about how no one mourns the wicked, because SHE mourns her. She doesn’t know that Elphaba is alive, and that’s HEART BREAKING. But then they sing a short reprise of For Good, and I promise you, every time that happens I start to tear up because the HARMONY AND THE EMOTION IN HER VOICE AND IM JUST THINKING ABOUT IT AND IM TEARING UP AAAAAAAAAAA????? And then the incredibly powerful ending with them all shouting “WICKED”?? How is this not the most incredible musical ever?? Besides Pippin?? I’ve watched Wicked thrice and I can’t get enough hecccccc,,,,

All Star: someBODY ONCE TOLD ME