#ariel ward

[lurkerdelima]

(not for me, for a character!)

[krystinaarielle]

Let this meeting of the Good Time Society commence.... See you soon

[baynton]

if I had a nickel for every time Mat played a murdering kidnapper and then we saw said murdering kidnapper driving a car, I'd have two nickels. which isn't a lot, but it's weird that it happened twice

Ariel Conroy in YMATA | 1x07 Elliot Ward in AGGGTM | 1x05

[hollyevolving]

Nihl: "So speaking is too difficult for you, but swinging a club is okay?"

The Prophetess Mariah witheringly raises an eyebrow. Nihl visibly shrinks within himself.

Mariah: "Sometimes violence is required."

I.

CACKLED.

[agir1ukn0w]

when I say I have a type

[gridanian-red-mage]

At the Bottom of a Mug

Summary

While the newly named Warrior of Light Arielle Solinar is running errands, her chocobo Mina catches wind of something that she thinks is worth investigating. Which leads them to a certain bard who doesn't quite have all of his wits about him.

_______

[Aaaand here's the first Arielle fic of several more that are to come in the future! (This one's a little long.😅) I actually have quite a few things written containing Arielle in my Word docs, so I'll be posting more of those here as time goes on and as I get further into the expansions. But anyway, this generally takes place before the move to Revenant's Toll, so roughly about 2.1-ish. I hope you enjoy!😊]

(AO3 version)

_______

“All right, so we’ve delivered that odd letter, took down some pests in the area, wrapped up that small squabble from earlier, and helped with another delivery for that nice elder,” Arielle listed. “Have I missed anything?”

Mina shook her head.

“Good. I would hate to have missed something.” Arielle sighed. “Having dealt with three primals in near succession and helped Alisaie with Bahamut for the time being, on top of the tasks we’ve just completed I think we’ve had quite the busy handful of days.”

A tired kweh.

“But we’ll probably have something needing our attention at the Waking Sands, so we can’t rest just yet today.”

Mina sighed.

“I know. I’m tired, too. But the faster we get there the faster you’ll be able to have some of those fruits I bought earlier.”

“Kweh!” The bird reared up excitedly to take off only to stop abruptly, cocking her head as she listened. She then made the chocobo’s equivalent of a confused expression.

“Something wrong?”

Mina chirped to confirm before gesturing not too far ahead of them.

“The Coffer and Coffin?”

“Kweh!”

“Lead the way, then.” As Mina headed off, Arielle began to ponder. She combed through her recollections of everyone they had helped just recently, carefully going over what she had been asked to do and where she had needed to go. She even retraced her steps from a few days ago. But as far as she knew they had done everything that was asked of them. “Are you sure we haven’t forgotten anything?”

“Kweh!”

Arielle hummed. “All right. If you say so.”

A few minutes later they had arrived, and she dismounted before leading Mina to a spot off to the side. Glancing around, she didn’t see anything out of the ordinary, nor did anyone seem distressed. But Mina usually had a good sense of her surroundings, so she didn’t really have much of a reason to wave Mina off.

Upon heading inside, Arielle could see that business was just about as typical as could be. Patrons were behaving as . . . they usually did in a place like this, and—

Wait. Almost immediately she recognized one of the men at the bar. “Thancred?”

Surrounded by at least four women and enough mugs for her to know it was far too many (even if they probably weren’t all his), was the man himself—getting very tipsy giggles out of the women with a slurred quip.

“Arielle!” Thancred practically beamed. “Wond’ful t’see you, as always!”

“How long have you been here?”

“No’ long at all. In’t that righ’, ladies?” At least three of the women burst into giggles.

“An’ jus’ who’re you s’posed t’be?” the fourth woman, an Elezen, questioned.

“Someone who is taking him home,” Arielle replied. Thancred reached for another mug only for her to take it out of his reach. “I think that’s enough for now, Thancred.”

“Ever th’stern one,” he joked, right before hiccupping. That pulled a sigh out of her.

“Come on, let’s go.”

“We were here first!” one of the women whined. “Especially me!”

“He’s, um . . . a very busy man and has many things left to do,” Arielle explained.

“He’ll be too busy to leave once I get him alone!” another woman replied, giggling afterwards.

“Well . . . he’s. . . .” Think, Arielle. Think of something to ward them off. She straightened up. “He’s been especially busy with me recently.”

All four women made an assortment of disappointed noises loud enough to turn some heads, making Arielle wince.

“I knew he was too good to be true!” a Miqo’te woman sobbed.

“Ladies, please,” Thancred tried to assure. “Thr’s plenny o’ me t’go’round.” Another hiccup.

Arielle tried not to cringe. “Of course there is.” Three of the women in the group pouted in various ways while the Miqo’te continued to sob. “I suggest the four of you find other suitors elsewhere.” But before the women could protest, the bartender stepped in.

“Go on, ye heard the lass. I won’t be havin’ any fights ‘round here, especially a cat-fight.”

“Ahh ’Shtola—as pow’ful asshe isss rad’nt,” Thancred declared as the women shuffled off.

“Yes I completely agree,” Arielle said. She turned to the bartender. “You have my thanks, Roger.”

“Don’t mention it,” Roger said before sighing. “Sod’s been ‘ere for bells. At first he was mutterin’ into his mug all serious-like—”

“I w’s not muttering,” Thancred argued. Another hiccup.

“But seein’ as how it was his business I let ‘im be. An’ before long, one mug led to countless others, an’ now he’s in a right mess. I suggest ye take ‘em to the closest inn ‘round here.” He leaned in. “Between you an’ me, I think he needs someone to talk to.”

“Thank you,” Arielle said.

“Y’really should res’ ev’ry now ‘n then,” Thancred said.

“So says the man who overworks himself.” She began to help him up. “Come on. You’ve been alone long enough.”

“I c’n walk jussf’ne, Arielle Solinar.” Another hiccup, making Arielle frown.

“How much did he spend?”

“Don’t ye worry ‘bout that,” Roger replied.

“Roger—”

“Yer friend’s more important than the coin.”

“At least let me pay for half.”

The man sighed. “Fine. Half, an’ that’s it.”

Arielle handed over the amount before taking her leave, and she could feel a few pairs of eyes on her. Once they were outside, Thancred squinted at the change in lighting, and Mina kweh’d cheerfully only to cut herself off. Upon noticing his current state, she gave a curt but concerned look.

“Ih seems Mina’s unhappy t’see me thi’ time,” he said. “I s’posed I must’ve u’set ‘er.”

“She’s just worried about you. We both are.”

“I’ma grown man, Ar’elle. I c’n handle m’self.” Mina made a noise of concern before lowering herself down. “Riding u’ fron’ fer once, I see.”

“Mmhmm.” Arielle positioned Thancred before mounting herself, making sure she had her arms around him just securely enough.

“Care t’tell me where we’re goin’?” He tipped to the side a bit, and Arielle readjusted him.

“The Quicksand. Or at least the Hourglass. I’ll not be letting you go back to the Waking Sands like this.”

“ ‘T’will be good t’see M’modi again.”

“And I’m sure she will be happy to see you as well.” Arielle could already picture the woman chiding him should she manage to spot them. “Easy now, Mina.” She shook the reins, and Mina went off at a steady pace.

“I’ve had many a w’mn witheir arms ‘round me, m’ny ‘o them not quite as fair as you.”

Arielle held back a grimace. “Yes I’m . . . very much aware of the women you’ve charmed.”

“I do r’m’ber a Miqo’te th’was very frisky, whish remns me of an’ther exceptionally fair lady ov’at. . . .”

She half listened to him while occasionally keeping him upright, making sure to give short replies every now and then to appease him. She knew she had made sure to check on him during his recovery from his possession alongside the others, and every time he would assure them that he was fine and merely needed some rest. Then he was finally returning to his duties, and she had gently reminded him to take it slow.

He takes so much responsibility for so many things. . . .

“. . . an’ oh th’r’ther tall woman fr’m Limsa—v’ry fr’ward in’er adv’nces.” Another hiccup.

I really hope he doesn’t do this again. . . .

~ ~ ~ ~

Finally, after several subject changes and mood swings that thankfully did not include anything too extreme, they had crossed the Gate of Nald and arrived at Ul’dah. Thancred had eventually fallen silent only minutes beforehand, and Arielle wondered if he had either exhausted himself or was stewing. In fact she wasn’t exactly sure which was worse.

The sun had already started its descent, so it was likely that the Quicksand and the Hourglass would be busy. Assuming he didn’t decide to talk to every person inside, they could just slip right in and find a room.

I really hope there are some rooms available.

“I’r’mber f’nding you here,” Thancred mentioned. “St’ndin’ up fer tha’ woman. . . .”

“It was the right thing to do,” Arielle replied. “I couldn’t let her be treated like that.”

“. . . You’ve a good hear’ Ar’elle.”

“And so do you.” The trio arrived at the Chocobo Station, and Mina lowered herself to let Arielle help Thancred off.

“Good evening. Rough day, eh?” the Chocobokeep inquired.

“Somewhat.” Mina gave a greeting to the Keep.

“And a good evening to you, too.”

She sighed at Thancred hiccupping again.

“Thancred!” two women cooed as they waved.

“Ladies!” Thancred practically beamed into Arielle’s ear as the women came up to them. “How l’ng’s it been?” But before the women could say anything else, Mina loudly and testily kweh’d at them, making them jump. “Mina, be nice to—”

She repeated the noise, successfully scaring the intruding duo—or at least to her they were intruding. And when they looked over their shoulders, she ruffled her feathers with a curt noise as if in warning.

Thancred sighed. “Som’t’mes I wonder if Mina wans me all t’herself.”

The Chocobokeep blinked a few times while Arielle laughed awkwardly, and he cleared his throat. “J-just for the night, miss?”

“Two nights, actually—in case we need the extra rest,” Arielle replied, and Mina gently nuzzled her and Thancred as if she had not just scared off two passersby. “Good night, girl. Be good for me, all right?”

With a quiet kweh Mina nudged the pack on her saddle with the fruit inside.

“All right, hold on.” Arielle glanced between Thancred and Mina in thought before having him lean on the bird.

“I’c’n stan’ b’m’self, you know,” Thancred argued.

“Frankly not,” the Chocobokeep muttered, but was quickly silenced by Mina’s hard look. She adjusted herself accordingly to properly support Thancred as Arielle fed her a couple fruits. Afterwards she nudged the pack again with a chirp.

“I’ll give you some extra ones in the morning, but right now Thancred needs to be looked after,” Arielle promised. Mina seemed to contemplate for a few moments before giving an agreeable kweh, and Arielle scratched the bird’s chin. Once things were settled, she continued their journey on foot. “We’re almost there, Thancred.”

“You h’ve m’c’mplete trus’,” he replied, hiccupping mid-sentence.“An’ you b’sure to let Mina know th’same.”

“Don’t worry, I will.”

It wasn’t long before they entered the Quicksand, and Arielle readjusted Thancred to make him seem as normal as possible. As she expected, Momodi was already occupied with quite a few patrons and then some. A few adventurers Arielle had helped out once or twice waved to her, and she waved back, although she winced once Thancred decided to again yell into her ear unintentionally.

“Momodi! Rad’nt an’ fair as always!” he announced, every pair of eyes in the room now on them, including Momodi’s.

Nophica help me, here it comes. A nervous grin worked its way through as Arielle appeased his apparent desire to speak to Momodi. And hoped she didn’t regret her decision.

The Lalafell placed her hands on her hips. “And hello to you too, Thancred.” She let out a sigh. “All right, where’d you find him?”

“Central Thanalan,” Arielle said.

“Coffer an’ Coffin, I wager?”

“Yes. If it weren’t for Mina I would’ve likely passed right by him.”

“Good bird, she is. But anyroad, I’ll leave you to keep an eye on this one, then. Should be a couple o’ rooms available over at the Hourglass.”

“Thank you. And, um, if . . . anyone asks for Thancred or me, please don’t say anything. I know he’ll send a few people into worry with how he is now.”

“Mum’s the word. Now go on an’ get him some rest.” Arielle nodded.

“C’m now shurely we could spare a mom’nt to—”

“I’m doin’ you a favor, Thancred. Can’t have you embarrassin’ yourself any further.” The duo then made their way over to the innkeeper (or rather Arielle tugged Thancred along before he could say anything else).

“Good evening,” she greeted. “I was told you had some rooms available.”

“Indeed we do,” the innkeeper replied. He glanced between the two of them. “How long will you be staying?” The arrangements were made for at least a couple of nights, and the two were finally able to step away from any more curious eyes.

Arielle closed the doors to their room with a brief sigh. “Are you all right? Do you feel ill?”

“‘M fine, Ar’elle,” Thancred said, leading her to frown. Upon being led to the bed, he unceremoniously plopped onto it.

“Try not to move, all right?”

“O’course, Miss S’l’nar.”

Moving aside the book and quill on the table, she began to place her smaller weapons onto it, keenly aware of Thancred’s gaze. She let out a breath as she removed her very well-used gloves, flexing her fingers for a bit. She supposed she was due for a new pair, but that was a problem for another time. Her current ones could last her a bit longer until then. After all, they have lasted her a pretty long time.

“Y’should be th’one to claim th’bed. I’ss only proper.”

“I’ll be just fine.” Her mind drifted to what she had asked of Momodi. Tataru’s probably worried. It is getting late. . . . “I’m stepping out for a bit, so don’t move.”

“Aye!”

Arielle left the room, leaving the doors open a crack as she made use of her linkpearl. And it barely took a minute before her call was received.

“Arielle?” Tataru asked.

“Yes, it’s me.”

“Oh, thank the Twelve! I was beginning to think something had happened to you! Is Thancred with you? He said he had ‘another matter’ to see to before he continued with his work, but I haven’t heard from him since.”

“Yes, but he’s . . . in an odd state, to say. He’s not hurt, but we won’t be returning to the Waking Sands until tomorrow, the day after at the most.”

“. . . He overdid it, didn’t he?”

“. . . Somewhat. Mina and I found him in Central Thanalan. With company.”

Tataru sighed. “And here I was thinking he was in trouble. . . .”

Arielle peeked through the crack, and Thancred was now more or less laying properly on the bed save for one leg hanging off the edge entirely. I think I prefer this kind of trouble over the other kind. “I’d rather the others not begin to worry, especially Minfilia, so. . . .”

“Don’t you worry. I’ll take care of everything.”

“Thank you.” Once the two disconnected, Arielle entered the room.

“I’ma right messs, ar’nt I?” Thancred said after a couple moments.

“As of right now, somewhat.”

He sighed a bit loudly. “T’think I could cont’nue to b’in such a state. . . .”

“You have not continued to be a mess. You’ve been strong and supportive.”

“It’s ne’er enough,” he retorted instantly. “I’m never enough to acc’mplsh what needs to be acc’mplishh.”

“Yes, you are, and I’ll not have you thinking this way.”

Thancred snorted. “I’m supposed to be f’ster than the enemy. T’keep Minfilia an’ th’others safe. An’ I’ve left you to burn before Ifrit more than once.”

Arielle furrowed her eyebrows. “More than—” She stopped herself as she remembered talking to him at the Waking Sands. She knew she had seen a trace of remorse in his eyes after he had told her about Ifrit’s return. “We’re all safe, and you did not leave me to burn. You—”

“Arielle can’t you understand that had you not held the Echo you would have been put to death with the others?! A kind woman whom I’ve dragged into nothing but countless trials and near death!”

Her fingers curled, and she found herself avoiding his unfocused but tormented eyes. He was right, and she knew it. Without the Echo, she would’ve been tempered like the rest of the people with her and put to death. “. . . Neither of us could have predicted what would’ve happened. But I would not have put someone I felt was a good person at fault, regardless of only having known you for a short time then. So . . . I do understand.”

“Frankly I don’t think you do.”

“And frankly, I think I do, Thancred Waters.”

“Really? And what of all the suffering I caused—”

“While you were not yourself. No one faults you for anything you did. It was Lahabrea who did all of those things. And I most certainly do not blame you for supposedly ‘leaving me to burn’ and any other troubles you think you yourself have caused.”

He let his head hang, and she leaned forward a bit to keep within his line of sight.

“You are a good man, Thancred, and you strive so hard to protect those around you. Sometimes too hard. But I would not have any other person for a friend.”

He chuckled to himself, albeit bordering on a slurred snort. “‘F’I didn’t know any better I’d say you were a bard, putting m’el’quent words t’shame.”

“I meant every word.”

“You always do.” He tilted toward her, and she caught him before sitting him upright. “’M a mess. . . .”

Arielle resisted a frown. “Try to get some rest.”

Thancred sluggishly situated himself as she rose. Undoing her hair, she ran her fingers through it before settling onto the floor. And when she glanced to him, he was already asleep.

I wonder if I’ll be able to find some tea for him in the morning. I think the brew I have in mind should help with any lingering grogginess he should have.

She fingered the pendant of her necklace, wondering if he would remember anything that had happened within the past small handful of bells. At best he would likely have foggy bits here and there—or so she assumed. I suppose only time will tell.

~ ~ ~ ~

Thancred had still been asleep even after she had gotten ready for the day and requested the tea for him. She had expected the knocking to rouse him, but it would seem his sleep was deep this time—which probably should’ve been expected. And he hadn’t shifted positions at all, so she deemed it safe to assume he wasn’t going to remember much of the previous night.

As she prepared the tea, she briefly glanced to him. Assuming he didn’t feel sick to his stomach, he would likely need something in it, obviously. Of course, she knew he was probably going to want to throw himself back into his work, but not if she had any say in that. Besides, she had given him another day to rest, so he’ll probably at least accept that.

Fruit should be fine for him for now. And for Mina. I did promise her extra. . . .

Once she was finished, a groan brought her attention back to him, and it was followed by a louder groan and him massaging his temples.

“Where. . . ?” Thancred rolled onto his back and draped his arm over his eyes, attempting to clear his mind and block the sunlight flooding in from the window for a few moments before rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Registering the bed he was on, he sat up as quickly as he could, ignoring the wave of dizziness that hit him. He looked around the room for a bit in confusion before his eyes finally landed on Arielle, and immediately dread flashed across his face. “Oh gods—!”

“No no no no, you’re fine!” Arielle quickly assured.

“Agh, not so loud, please!”

She winced. “I’m sorry.” She watched him miserably swing his legs over the edge with a groan.

“Please tell me I did not do what I think I did.”

“You didn’t. I brought you here after Mina and I found you.”

He sighed in relief. “Thank the Twelve. . . .”

She studied him for a bit. “How are you feeling?”

“Well, my head is pounding, but I seem to be well enough.” He sighed again. “You’ll have to excuse my . . . less-than-gentlemanly behavior. I’m sure I was an absolute fool.”

“Well . . . um . . . I’m sure it could have been worse.”

“That does not give me any sort of comfort.”

Arielle frowned. “Well you were certainly very talkative. And moody. And . . . surrounded by women. But I managed to shoo them off.”

“Ah. I think I remember some displeased voices, although the memory is a bit muddled.”

Arielle briefly glanced down. “Why did you go off on your own like this?”

He hunched over, resting his elbows on his knees and trying not to squint. “To be honest, it was never my intention. But, when one’s mind wanders to less than cheery thoughts, it’s almost all too easy to drown it all away.”

She frowned again. “. . . You still feel at fault. . . .”

He didn’t answer her for a few moments, barely recalling himself lashing out and kicking himself. “. . . If you were in my place, wouldn’t you?”

Arielle briefly closed her eyes. “. . . I think I would. And I know you would tell me the same things that I’ve said to you. The others would likely agree with me. But I know that I cannot imagine the torment you must have endured while Lahabrea had your sense of self in his grasp.” She frowned. “I wish we had found out sooner. . . .”

“Then, I suppose you would expect hearing your own words coming from me, Arielle Solinar.”

“I think I would, Thancred Waters.”

He gave her his usual smile, and his eyes caught the tray of tea behind her. “I suppose that’s rather cold by now.”

“Oh!”

“Agh!”

“Sorry.” Arielle went to give him his cup. “I thought it would help clear your head of any remaining drowsiness. It should still be warm, I think.”

Thancred took a small sip. “And you are correct. You have my thanks.”

“It’s not too strong, is it?”

“Actually, no. It’s perfect.”

“Good.” The two sat in silence for a few minutes, Thancred trying not to wince at the clinking of the cup and saucer as well as the sunlight coming in from the window (and why it did not have any godsforsaken curtains was beyond him).

“This has an odd taste to it.”

“It’s good for you.”

“Is it supposed to be musty?”

“Yes, now drink while it’s still warm.”

Thancred refrained from grumbling as he did as told. She’s like a mother hen.

A few more minutes of silence went by, and he was beginning to taste another odd flavor in the tea. But he decided to keep his mouth shut.

“Thancred.”

He looked to her.

“If there is anything you need from me, or if there is something bothering you, call upon me. It doesn’t matter what I may be doing or what time it may be or if you think you would be a bother. I want you to lean on me, or if not me, then one of the others. We’re friends.”

“The same goes for you. But, I will try to remember that.”

Arielle smiled at him. “But we won’t be setting a single foot outside this room until you are absolutely well.”

“Arielle—”

“Thancred.”

“There are things that—”

“And I’m aware of them and have also let Tataru know that we won’t be back until today or tomorrow. Everything’s taken care of.”

Thancred frowned. He hated to admit it, but powering through his blasting headache and his temporary oversensitivity to light and sound wasn’t the best idea. He wouldn’t want to worry everyone any further, especially Arielle given what she had already done for him yesterday. “There is no arguing with you, is there?”

“No, there is not.”

He sighed in defeat. “All right. I’ll be staying put, but that includes you as well. It’s only fair since you are in such high demand nowadays.”

“. . . Fair enough.”

“And, some curtains would be lovely.”

Arielle glanced to him partially squinting and then the window. Ah, right. He’s a bit sensitive to light now. “Well I’m no weaver, but I’ll see what I can do.”

[comicwaren]

From Punisher Vol. 14 #003, “The Other Side of Terror”

Art by Dave Wachter and Dan Brown

Written by David Pepose

[memoryaqua]

Before leaping into the water, find out if she's a mermaid or a siren.

Falling for scams does hurt people, actually

TW: Human trafficking, SA, torture, discussion of scam farms

I see a whole bunch of people arguing that they would rather risk giving to a scammer than ignore someone's gofundme. I also see people saying things like "I can't believe some sick people are profiteering off genocide" and like, me neither, but I feel like you guys really don't understand who actually runs these kinds of scams and what they are.

Scams of noticeable scale-- like scam asks being sent from hundreds of accounts to every user on Tumblr!-- are typically related to organised crime in poor countries, not Susan from Milwaukee who wants a new coat and has no scruples. People get trafficked by gangs to scam farms in Asia and Africa where they're worked to the bone and tortured trying to get idiots in wealthy countries to part with their money. Genocide profiteering is pretty much the least evil thing these people do.

Here's a UN article on it. Obvious warnings for content related to human trafficking and SA.

When you donate to a scammer, you fund these organisations and give them a reason to exist. It's possible some of the fundraisers are legit. I honestly find it unlikely given I'm not seeing any from any other countries where urgent fundraisers would seem to have great reason to exist but which haven't captured the same level of attention on Tumblr-- the number of Sudanese, Congolese, Ukrainian, Burmese or Uyghur fundraisers in my DMs is a fat 0. In any case, there are safer ways to help.

If you want to help (which is great!) you don't have to take the risk of paying for human trafficking. Donate to legitimate charities which have the resources to safely and effectively ensure the money and help is getting to the right people. Funding human trafficking rings in Myanmar is not a good risk to be taking while trying to help.

[ms-ship]

In Ghostbusters 2 (deleted scene, of course), the guys were committed to a psych ward courtesy of the mayor.

Peter going along with the one of the patients about the French poodle is nothing short of hilarious 😂

@bixiebeet @spengnitzed @ariel-seagull-wings @kawaiisakura143 @soulfulbelieves @lulusplaycorner @remerg @spook-central @spenglerssweetheart @spook-spectre-ghost @janeb984 @egonspenglersweetie @lunoki @trixie21 @egonspenglershusband

[annymation]

The Kingdom of Wishes- A “Wish” Rewrite

Chapter 1- The Intro

Our tale opens the same way many classic Disney movies did before, with a story book.

The book opens, and we are presented with the illustration of a king looking down from his tower, and we listen to the narration of an elderly male voice:

Long ago, there was a kind and wise king, who wished that all his people could live the happiest and most fulfilling lives in his kingdom, and have all their dreams come true. "But how can I fulfill ALL their dreams?"The king pondered.

Then, he had an idea. Using his vast knowledge, the sorcerer king developed a new kind of arcane magic, Wish Magic. With it, the king granted the wishes of all the citizens in need of his help. And so, this became the tradition, in the Kingdom of Rosas...

But this is not his story, oh no no, King Eric was just the first of this loooong line of wish granting kings.

The pages of the book flip, revealing in each page a different king, each generation, and each one with their names written on the top of the pages, these kings are all named after the 9 old men, the famous animators that worked in the creation of Snow White. This is the first of many Disney references I’ll throw around in this rewrite.

Our tale begins with the birth of the 10th king of Rosas... Prince Magnus.

We see an illustration showing a young king Magnifico learning magic with his father, king Ward.

Young prince Magnus grew in power as quickly as the evening primrose blooms in the night. However, the young prince feared he'd never be truly worthy of following such a great legacy. With that in mind, the King and Queen decided that a... second option could be required in the future. And thus, prince Florian was born.

The two brothers grew into powerful sorcerers. But once it came the day to choose the heir to the throne, Florian was chosen, for Magnus didn't feel like he could be just as great of a king as the ones that came before him, he felt like there was something... missing in his life, something that would give him the confidence and strength he required.

And sure enough, that something, or rather, that someone arrived.

The most beautiful maiden Magnus had ever laid eyes upon. She was found by fisherman, passed out and floating adrift in a boat. By King Florian's orders she was brought to the castle, once she woke up, the maiden introduced herself as Amaya.

We see an image of young Amaya being found ashore by fisherman, she's dressed in a white dress similar to how Ariel was found by Eric in The Little Mermaid.

Amaya wanted to thank the young king for his hospitality, she didn't ask him to grant her wish, all she wanted was to serve in the castle as the king's personal alchemist, and Florian gladly welcomed her in his court. And as the days went on, Magnus and the mysterious maiden became hopelessly in love, and together, they felt as if they could do... Anything.

The narrators voice sounds confused with that last statement, like he doesn't know what's referring to. But he continues.

After a year of the kingdom prospering under king Florian's rule, Magnus, inspired by his new found love, decided to go on a quest for adventure, to leave the kingdom for once in his life.

We see an illustration of Magnus and his brother hugging each other goodbye next to a boat. It's a sunny day.

But every tale must have a tragedy, and Magnus faced the most painful tragedy of all once he returned to Rosas, and found out his dear younger brother fell ill and passed away while he was away.

We see an illustration of Magnus now back to Rosas, looking devastated, but one important detail is that he's now holding a staff with a green gem we haven't seen in any of the previous pages, it's a treasure he got from his quest.

But from this tragedy, Rosas reemerged stronger, with Magnus and Amaya as our new rulers. Magnus let go of his fears and swore to make the kingdom shine brighter that ever before, It's what his brother would've wanted after all.

Magnus changed the way that wishes were granted, instead of granting just a few per month like the kings that came before him, he granted dozens per week, by sending them up from the top of his tower, and making them float down to their wish makers as they sleep.

The kingdom was so happy and so grateful for their new king and queen that they started calling them by nicknames that reflected their magnificence and their passion. From then on, they were to be known as King Magnifico and Queen Amable.

The End

The book is closed by an old man's hand.

We now see the face of the man who was reading the story, Sabino, Asha's grandfather, looking ever so slightly younger than he was in the movie, but still very old.

He's laying on the bed with a smile, admiring the golden and flowery details on the book cover, and he says:

"I admire your interest in more sophisticated books Asha but ummm don't you think this one might be a bit too advanced for your age? hehe"

the man chuckles looking down to his side, where we see a little 5 year old Asha under the bed sheets.

"Yeah... I thought it would be better cause' the cover was so pretty, I wanted more fantasy, but its just romance... yuck" she makes a face of disgust sticking her tongue out.

"One should never judge a book by it's cover, what you got here is a history book." he tells her as he get's up from bed to put away the book and blow away the candles in the room.

"Sure doesn't explain things very well though, like where did queen Amaya even come from? And what's the deal with this staff the king found? And what sickness did his brother have? The book explains none of it." The little girl says frustrated with all these questions unanswered.

Her grandpa can’t help but chuckle, he's way too familiar to these unceasing questions of her's, Asha always had the habit of questioning everything.

"Well, 1. the queen is quite reserved about her past, it's best to respect that. 2. that staff is just a souvenir that the king got from his travel. And 3. sometimes bad things just... Happen, with no explanation, and there's nothing we can really do about it but to move on." The old man explains to her wisely "Now, it's time for bed."

"Noooo!" Asha interrupts before her grandpa blows away the last candle in the room "I want another story, this one didn't count because I didn't like it"

"And since when that was a rule?" her grandfather sounds amused by that

"Since now, I just decided" the 5 year old claimed proudly

"Hehehe and what exactly didn't you enjoy in this story?"

Asha thinks for a moment, but then she has an idea "Weeeeell for starters, romance is yucky, there was nooo villains, and I like villains in fairytales, and most importantly… it didn't have MY favorite king and queen in it"

(Ya know, I laugh to myself while writing this because not only Asha will grow up to live a romance in this rewrite, but also because there are indeed villains in that fairytale, it just so happens that the villains made themselves the protagonists.)

Sabino looks confused "... Your favorite king and queen? Now what do you mean b--" Sabino realizes who she’s referring to, and his confusion melts back into a tender smile "Oooh... hehe you mean THEIR story, huh? Say, didn't I already tell you their story this week?"

"And the week before that too, yes, but I just love it! Pleeease saba, then I promise I'll go to sleep, honest"

"*sigh* alright alright, but only because it's my favorite too"

Sabino sits down on his rocking chair next to the bed, no book required for him to tell this tale.

Once upon a time, there was a king, who traveled to a far away place with his son, his prince. They were looking for a place peaceful to make it their home, and they found it, a quiet house in the middle of the forest, not so far from a kingdom called Rosas. The prince was quick to meet the people that lived in the nearby kingdom, and among the people he met there was-

"A FAIRY!"

"Who's telling this story again?" Sabino glanced at Asha smugly

"Sorry sorry, hihihi keep going" she says hugging her pillow tightly.

So yes, the prince met a fairy, a fairy with the most incredible of powers, she could bring drawings to life! The prince was marveled by the fairy's magic, and hurried to tell his father, at first, the king didn't believe it "Drawings that move? That's absurd, son" but sure enough, the prince invited the fairy to their home, and she proved it to the king, she showed him her sketchbook and flipped the pages quickly, and all her drawings together seemed to move as if it was magic

"Because it WAS magic" Asha corrected

"Hehehe you're right, it was"

Years went by, and the love that the prince and the fairy shared only grew more and more. The fairy became an art teacher, sharing her magic and artistry, while the prince became a philosopher, passing on his wisdom and knowledge about the stars. And one day, they were blessed with the most beautiful little princess.

"That's meeeee"

"Yes, that's you" Sabino looks at Asha with eyes full of administration for the girl’s enthusiasm for such a simple story he only came up with to teach her about who her parents were.

And they lived ha--

Sabino interrupts himself before he finishes that phrase, he knows that's not how it went.

But he has to finish the story somehow, so he just says

And now that little princess is going to sleep, the end.

Nailed it.

"Very well Asha, a deal's a deal, good night now-"

"Saba! Look!" Asha points to outside the window with a huge smile "It's starting!" She jumps out of bed and runs to the window

We see countless wish bubbles floating out of the castle, like glowing lanterns filling the sky and making their way down to the people of Rosas.

"Huh, he started earlier today... Or rather, it's even more past your bed time than I thought, come on, back to bed mi nieta" Sabino rushes her back to bed, talking more sternly now.

Asha doesn't want to go to sleep yet though so she tries to stall some more "Saba, when I'm big, what if I wished to have magic like mama's?"

Sabino's eyebrows raise in surprise by the question "Y-you mean wish to make drawings move?"

"YEAH! I wanna be a great artist like her! I bet mr. King Magnifico could grant that wish pretty easy, right?" The little girl says cheerfully, her eyes shinning as she still looks up at the glowing wish bubbles in the sky.

Asha isn't seeing it, but her grandfather has a sad and conflicted look on his face, like he's trying to find the right words to tell her something really important.

"Heeey... You never told me what was YOUR wish to the king!" Asha realizes, turning back to the older man and walking closer to him on his rocking chair "What did you wish for?" She asks him curious with a big smile.

"... I don't know" He admits, trying to hide from her how sad that makes him feel with a forced smile.

"... Huh?" The girl tilts her head confused

"I was asked to give my wish when I moved to Rosas and... To this day I can't remember what it was... But maybe that's just how it works" He shrugs like it's no big deal. But it clearly is.

"That doesn't sound fair... He hasn't granted it yet?"

"... Could be…" Sabino admits what has been thinking for a long while, his eyes light up with an idea and he turns to his granddaughter with a serious expression "Asha, can you promise me something?"

Asha looks at her grandfather attentively and nods positively.

“When you turn 18… Oh never mind, you’ll probably not even remember this talk anyway”

“Yes I will, what is it?” She asks determined.

“… When the time comes for you to make your wish to King Magnifico, DO NOT wish for him to make you an artist like your mother, Sakina spent years practicing to master her craft… and I think she’d like you to do the same”

“Okay! I’ll practice everyday! To make drawings just as pretty as mama’s!” Asha’s joy returned with full force, she actually couldn’t wait to draw more in the the morning.

She jumps back to her bed, now ready to go to sleep since she has something to look forward to.

Sabino seemed pleased “That’s good to hear, thank you”

“But what should I wish for then?”

Sabino fell silent for a moment and just said simply “You have quite a lot of time to decide, I’m sure you’ll know by then... Now all I wish is that you'd stay in bed and went to sleep hehe” He jokes with a gentle smile.

He get's up from his rocking chair and goes to blow out the last burning candle in the room, but before he does so Asha says

"Saba... Do you miss them? Mama and papa?"

Sabino looks at the candle with downcast eyes.

"Yes... But it's alright, I still get to see them everyday"

"WHERE?" Asha exclaims, thinking her grandpa just casually admitted he sees ghosts.

"In you" Sabino tells her as he caresses her head "You have your mother's talent and beauty, and my son's intelligence and curiosity... They live in you, dear"

(Is this a Lion King Broadway musical reference? Yes, yes it is)

"You think I'll be able to make magic too, like mama?" Asha asks with a big smile

"If you keep trying, and never give up, you can do anything, my dear." He says calmly, looking at her full of pride.

"Okay... *yaaaawn* good night saba, I love you" She says while getting comfortable in bed.

"Good night mi nieta. See you tomorrow."

Sabino blows away the last candle, it all goes dark.

We cut to a sequence similar to the opening from UP.

(oh yes, it'll be that level of sad)

So as happy background music plays, with no lyrics, no lines, just visual story telling, we get a series of scenes showing some snippets of Asha’s life over the years.

We cut to the same little Asha waking up in the morning with a big smile on her face.

She's waken up by her grandfather, and she gives him a hug.

Sabino prepares breakfast while Asha draws on a sketchbook.

Sabino looks proud with Asha's doodle and hangs it on the wall.

Suddenly, they hear someone knocking, Asha goes to open the door and we see a young Dahlia selling sweets.

Sabino buys some, and as Dahlia walks away Asha notices she could use some help carrying all that food, since she's walking with a crutch.

Asha looks at her grandfather as if she's asking for permission to go, and he nods reassuringly.

Off she goes to help Dahlia, and the two quickly become friends

Asha get's back home after sunset, dinner is ready

she and her grandpa read some books together.

Asha went to sleep

This cycle would keep repeating during the whole musical sequence, and I don't want this to take too long so just imagine we see events similar to this repeating 7 times, each time we see Asha meet a new friend, and we see her grandpa become more and more senile and more dependent on Asha, as she gets older.

I'll just give a few more examples to illustrate it but if you're curious about how Asha met all her friends and in what order just read it here: Reimagining the 7 teens

We’ll skip the sequences showing how she met Simon and Gabo.

The music sounds slightly less upbeat

Asha wakes up, now looking more like a 10 year old

She’s ever so slightly less excited when waking up but still smiling

She goes to wake up her grandpa, who seems a bit lost at first but smiles once he sees her

She makes them breakfast

The walls of the house are covered top to bottom with Asha’s drawings

She helps her grandfather walk as they go watch a children’s play at the plaza, her friends Dahlia, Simon and Gabo are with them

Asha notices a young girl looking very uncomfortable on stage

Once it’s her scene, the bashful girl runs off stage

Asha goes back stage and we see her sit next to Bazeema and give her some words of encouragement

Bazeema goes back stage and plays the role of the queen perfectly with her eyes closed

Asha gets a new friend in her friend group

Sabino looks pleased

Asha prepares soup for dinner (remember she’s 10 here)

Asha takes her grandfather to bed, because he’s struggling to walk

Asha reads him some books

Asha went to sleep

…

We gonna skip to the last friend Asha made

Asha wakes up, now looking 13

She has a hopeful expression, it’s another day

She helps her grandfather get out of bed, he’s not smiling anymore, his expression seems distant

She makes them breakfast, and help her saba with eating it

There’s even more drawings on the walls, and they look way more detailed, showing Asha’s art skills improved

She and her 6 friends all go hang out for what was supposed to be a short walk

They spot a girl trying to practice juggling and failing miserably

Asha asks if they can help, but the girl just smiles awkwardly as if she says they can only help if they could make her a proper entertainer in the snap of their fingers

Asha indeed can’t grant that wish BUT she knows how to help her

Cuts to them all in Asha’s house, the 8 preteens all sit together on a round table and Asha brings in some papers, pencils and a book titled “Jokes and tales for jesters”

We see the whole gang now formed, as they talk and laugh together, helping Hal come up with jokes for her act as a royal entertainer

All is well until, Asha noticed her grandfather coughing on a chair right behind them

She rushes to give him some water and stays with him, while her friends watch from the table, with expressions of sadness and pity

Asha is hugging her grandfather when she feels a hand on her shoulder, she turns around and it’s Dahlia, with the other 6 behind, they all give her a reassuring smile as if to tell her it’s gonna be alright

Simon brings a blanket to cover her grandfather, Bazeema makes some tea, Dahlia prepares dinner, Hal plays some songs with her flute, Safi and Dario are dancing to it with Asha (as a reference to the “Silly Song” scene from Snow White where she dances with Dopey and Sneezy) and Gabo is just sitting there tapping his feet to the music.

Asha finally got a break, a moment to just enjoy herself

They all have dinner together, Gabo offers himself to help Sabino eat.

Asha waves her friends goodbye as they all return to their homes

Asha helps her grandfather go to bed, we don’t see his face much

Asha went to sleep

…

Asha wakes up, now 15 years old, she has an excited smile on her face just like how she had 10 years before

She shakes her grandfather to wake him up

He doesn’t move

She tries again…

No answer.

The music turns silent.

Her smile fades away.

…

We cut to her in Sabino’s funeral.

Asha is crying all alone, until she once again feels a hand on her shoulder.

She turns around to see all her 7 friends, all of them grieving with her.

They hug.

…

Asha wakes up, now in present day.

It’s her 18th birthday.

“… It’s another day” she says with a hopeful, but somewhat worried smile.

End of intro.

Chapter 2

Final Thoughts

And so it begins. This is just the first of a LOT of chapters.

This is my first time actually writing a story, in English no less (I’m Brazilian btw) so this has been a pretty big deal for me, please give me suggestions on how to improve if you have any, it’s really appreciated.

Asha and Sabino’s relationship hits really close to home for me, I think whenever we write something it’s inevitable that we bring a little bit of our own experiences into it, and here’s it’s not different, in my case I also had a really close relationship with my grandpa, and I grew up watching him develop Alzheimer’s, just like Asha I used to draw a looooot and my grandpa had a whole wall in his room dedicated only for my drawings, so yeah I got pretty emotional writing about that.

Rip Vovô Dudu

Anyway, what I wanted to accomplish with this intro was establish:

- King Magnifico and Queen Amable’s backstory… Or at least what the people of Rosas think it’s their backstory.

- Who were Asha’s parents and how they’re important to her and shape who she is.

- How Asha met all her friends, as well as who they are.

- How Asha is always going out of her way to help others.

- How her life went from being taken care of by Sabino to being his care taker, which in turn made her become more mature and hard working from an young age.

- But nevertheless, even with all the loss and pain she felt, she always remained kind and optimistic.

With all of that established, we can actually start this story, see you all on chapter 2!

Thank you for reading!

[battyaboutbooksreviews]

🌈 Queer Books Coming Out in March 2024 🌈

🌈 Good afternoon, my bookish bats! Struggling to keep up with all the amazing queer books coming out this month? Here are a FEW of the stunning, diverse queer books you can add to your TBR before the year is over. Remember to #readqueerallyear! Happy reading!

[ Release dates may have changed. ]

❤️ Shift: A Memoir of Identity and Other Illusions - Penny Guisinger 🧡 Tempting Olivia - Clare Ashton 💛 Monilinia - Free Mints 💚 Guillaume - Aurora Dimitre 💙 The Marble Queen - Anna Kopp & Gabrielle Kari 💜 The Baker & the Bard - Fern Haught ❤️ Rainbow! - Sunny & Gloom 🧡 The Safe Zone - Amy Marsden 💛 The Weavers of Alamaxa - Hadeer Elsbai 💙 The No-Girlfriend Rule - Christen Randall 💜 A Different Kind of Brave by Lee Wind 🌈 Cirque du Slay - Rob Osler ❤️ Wizard’s Debt - Niranjan 🧡 One Last Breath - Ginny Myers Sain 💛 Nothing Special - Katie Cook 💚 I Feel Awful, Thanks - Lara Pickle 💙 The Tower - Flora Carr 💜 Be the Sea - Clara Ward ❤️ What Grows in the Dark - Jaq Evans 🧡 Heirs of Bone and Sea - Kay Adams 💛 The Haunting of Velkwood - Gwendolyn Kiste 💙 Thunder Song - Sasha taqwšəblu LaPointe 💜 Mona of the Manor - Armistead Maupin 🌈 Like Happiness - Ursula Villarreal-Moura

❤️ Ellipses - Vanessa Lawrence 🧡 Saint, Sorrow, Sinner - Freydís Moon 💛 Blood & Brujas - Mikayla D. Hornedo 💚 Infinity Kings - Adam Silvera 💙 Really Cute People - Markus Harwood-Jones 💜 How You Were Born - Kate Cayley ❤️ These Bodies Between Us - Sarah Van Name 🧡 Icarus - K. Ancrum 💛 The Emperor and the Endless Palace - Justinian Huang 💙 How Not to Date an Angel - Lana Kole 💜 Enemy Colours - R.M. Olson 🌈 Broken Parts Included - Alyson Root

❤️ Who's Afraid of Gender? - Judith Butler 🧡 The Duke’s Cowboy - Andrew Grey 💛 The Secret Something - Emily Wright 💚 Colstead & Andie - Olivia Janae 💙 Play It Again, Ma’am - Sienna Waters 💜 Love Is…? - K.J. Wrights ❤️ Welcome to Forever - Nathan Tavares 🧡 Just Another Epic Love Poem - Parisa Akhbari 💛 The Phoenix Bride - Natasha Siegel 💙 These Letters End in Tears - Musih Tedji Xaviere 💜 Truly Home - J.J. Hale 🌈 Monster Mixer - Robin Jo Margaret

❤️ The House of Hidden Meanings - RuPaul 🧡 Promised to the Queen - Barbara Winkes 💛 A Conclave of Crimson - Nicole Eigener & Beverley Lee 💚 A Hunt of Blood and Iron - Cara Nox 💙 The Fealty of Monsters - Ladz 💜 Ariel Crashes a Train - Olivia A. Cole ❤️ Those Beyond the Wall - Micaiah Johnson 🧡 Dancing Toward Stardust - Julia Underwood 💛 Heir to Dreams & Darkness - Ben Alderson 💙 Comet Cruise - Niska Morrow 💜 Dead Girls Walking - Sami Ellis 🌈 Blackout - Carlos E. Rivera

❤️ Monster Crush - Erin Ellie Franey 🧡 Blessed Water - Margot Douaihy 💛 These Fragile Graces, This Fugitive Heart - Izzy Wasserstein 💚 Kiss of Seduction - Rawnie Sabor 💙 Sunbringer - Hannah Kaner 💜 Evacuation to Love - C.A. Popovich ❤️ Sin - Brooke Matthews 🧡 Falls from Grace - Ruby Landers 💛 Lean in to Love - Catherine Lane 💙 A Small Apocalypse - Laura Chow Reeve 💜 Cascade Failure - L.M. Sagas 🌈 The Mars House - Natasha Pulley

❤️ All This Time - Sage Donnell 🧡 The Romance Lovers Book Club - MA Binfield 💛 View from the Top - Morgan Adams 💚 Number Call - Nagisa Furuya 💙 Crossing Bridges - Chelsey Lynford 💜 The Boyfriend Subscription - Steven Salvatore ❤️ Love the World or Get Killed Trying - Alvina Chamberland 🧡 Synthetic Sea - Franklyn S. Newton 💛 The Prince & His Stolen Groom - J.E. Ridge 💙 Chrysalis and Requiem - Quinton Li 💜 Where Sleeping Girls Lie - Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé 🌈 A Botanical Daughter - Noah Medlock

❤️ Wednesday Nights - by Donna Jay 🧡 The Woods All Black - Lee Mandelo 💛 Song of the Huntress - Lucy Holland 💚 Rainbow Black - Maggie Thrash 💙 Spirits & Sunflowers - A.D. Armistead & Austin Daniel 💜 Floating Hotel - Grace Curtis ❤️ Far From Camelot - Rylee Hale 🧡 This Way to Change - Jezz Chung �� Mexican Bird - Luis Lopez-Maldonado 💙 Android Affection: Unveiling - Beau Van Dalen 💜 Welcome to the Damned - Astraea Long 🌈 She Came for Blood - Darva Green

❤️ Cover Story - Rachel Lacey 🧡 The Poisons We Drink - Bethany Baptiste 💛 The Perfect Guy Doesn't Exist - Sophie Gonzales 💚 In Walked Trouble - Dana Hawkins 💙 Never Leave, Never Lie - Thea Verdone 💜 Guardian: Zhen Hun - Priest ❤️ All the World Beside - Garrard Conley 🧡 Rainbows, Unicorns, and Triangles - Jessica Kingsley Publishers 💛 The Feast Makers - H.A. Clarke 💙 Synthetic Sea - Franklyn S. Newton 💜 All the Painted Stars - Emma Denny 🌈 A Hard Sell - Jennifer Moffatt

[lurkerdelima]

🎂🍎💯 for the ocs asks! (Not sure if im supposed to specify a specific one but if so, dealer’s choice ;p)

Thank you!! Since you left it up to me, I chose my latest OC, Ariel Ward. He’s a friend of my other OC Achilles Brennan, and he’s a criminal defense attorney and also generally a Lot. :D

🎂 - when is your oc's birthday? how old are they? what are their sun, moon, & rising signs (if known)? what about their tarot card, ruling planet, & ruling number (if known)? do they fit the typical traits of these sun, moon, & rising signs?

May 23, 1986, so currently he’s 37, coming up on 38. He knows his sun sign (Gemini) and has gotten a birth chart done before but can never remember his moon, his rising, anything else. He does fit some of the typical traits of a Gemini - he’s a little bit fickle and gossipy, but also extroverted and flexible. He’s very much an “it’s not that deep, man” person, and will talk to anybody.

🍎 - where was your oc born? do they still live in/around their place of birth or do they live somewhere else? how do they feel about their birthplace?

He was born in Bakersfield, California, but moved to Texas as a toddler. He doesn’t really remember anything before the move. He grew up in Port Arthur, Texas, which is about an hour and a half from Houston. He found it kind of boring but doesn’t hold any specific animosity towards it. He still goes back to visit his grandma (the one who raised him) not infrequently. He lives in New Orleans now; he moved there for law school. It’s only about a 4-hour drive between the two, fortunately.

He hasn’t been back to Bakersfield since he was a child.

💯 - share three random facts about your oc that others may not know.

Let’s see! He has a scruffy little dog named Biggie, he took French in high school and now can kinda-sorta speak Louisiana French, and he loves Rihanna. Especially early Rihanna.

Oh, and a bonus one - his mom named him after the spirit in The Tempest.

[violethowler]

I am firmly of the opinion that the idea behind the New Seven Hearts in Kingdom Hearts 3 makes perfect sense and is entirely consistent with the themes of the narrative. In a series that consistently hammers in the message that light and darkness cannot exist without each other and must ideally be in balance, and how there is always darkness in every heart, the idea that there are at least seven people at a time who are naturally devoid of any darkness whatsoever throughout their entire lives from birth to death sticks out as contradictory to this messaging.

So the idea that it’s a temporary position that’s passed on from person to person without requiring the previous holder to die first makes a ton of sense in light of the symbolism behind what light and darkness represent that I’ve talked about multiple times in my Constructing Kingdoms videos: Light in KH fundamentally represents focus on others and darkness represents focus on yourself, with the conflict between the two representing conflicts like selfless vs selfishness, community vs isolation, conformity vs individuality, etc.

In that context, the idea that being a heart of pure light is a temporary state works as a potential metaphor for how even the most selfless people who are constantly doing things to help others around them still naturally have to take time to take care of their own needs – physically, mentally, and emotionally – or else they’ll ultimately burn out. (There are also a few meta elements when you factor in the workings of the KH universe when it comes to the Disney worlds, but I’ll save those for later so i don't get distracted lol).

However...

I do think it's a missed opportunity that we were introduced to the idea through the Organization going after new Princesses in KH3, rather than through BBS dropping the bombshell that Minnie was a PoH in the pre-KH1 era.

Think about it.

In her KH2 escort mission she exclusively light-based magic, and her attempt to seal off the Disney Castle audience chamber demonstrates a knowledge of how to ward off darkness, similar to how six of the Seven Princesses in KH1 were able to hold back the darkness coming out of the Final Keyhole using their own power until Sora returned to seal the Keyhole. Her sealing of the audience chamber not being effective at keeping out Heartless could even be retroactively explained by her Light magic being weaker after she gave up her PoH power.

A single mention of Minnie being a PoH in the BBS era would be enough to plant the possibility in players’ minds of more Princesses outside of the 7 we’d already seen without taking away screentime and narrative focus from the Wayfinder trio’s story.

Nomura has talked about how he likes giving players things to think about and speculate over when it comes to the story in the games that he's been involved in, and the fact that Minnie is obviously still alive in the present-day narrative would’ve given fans tons of questions to speculate over as we waited for KH3:

Did this mean that Princesses can pass on their pure light status without dying the way that similar mantles commonly work in a lot of fantasy media? Or is she still a PoH in the present day and there were always more than just the seven that Maleficent needed to open the door to Kingdom Hearts in KH1?

Would we be seeing new Princesses in KH3? And if so, would it be a new set of seven, or will some of the PoH we know be keeping their positions a little longer?

If we do get new Princesses in KH3, would we get to see the transition happen or would it just happen off-screen between games? Did the ones who passed their mantle on already do so and we just didn’t know it?

Would any of the new Official Disney Princesses be Princesses of Heart if or when they appeared in KH? If so, which ones?

If not the new Official Princesses, what about Mulan, Ariel, Tinkerbell, or Esmeralda – the few Official Princesses (the latter two of which only formerly) – to appear in KH but not be a PoH? Would any of them become one in the future? Or were they former ones who had already passed on their mantles like Minnie had?

And since Alice’s inclusion in KH1 means that being an Official Disney Princess is not a prerequisite for PoH status, what other iconic female characters from Disney properties – both those that had already shown up in KH and those who had yet to appear – might be candidates for former or future PoH?

Imagine how excited people would've been if Larxene's line in the KH3 trailers about Elsa being one of the New Seven Hearts was confirmation of theories that the fandom had been debating back and forth over for almost a decade, rather than introducing a whole new concept that most fans had never thought of before.

[shostakobitchh]

Chapter 5: cherry bomb

She looks up and — squints. 

There’s a green light blooming, the creature’s shrieks fading. Even though she can’t see her hands directly in front of her, she can see the light getting brighter, and can feel a warmth pulsating from it, like a heartbeat. She blindly swipes her hands forward as she stumbles closer to it, a pull fueling her feet to move towards it while the darkness sucks in all of the sound away, letting it fall behind her like ash in the wind. 

Ariel can see shapes through the murky light. She forces herself to keep moving — you must always carry your light — and that what she’s doing, she’s carrying on towards the light, because something inside of her feels like it might die if she doesn’t. 

The shapes form into familiar things, and Ariel knows instantly where she is, a pang of longing so strong thundering through her that it’s a wonder she stays on her feet. It’s their old flat — the rickety old kitchen table, the mismatched chairs, the chipped mugs in the sink. Ariel blinks, not quite believing what she's seeing. It's like stepping into a memory, except everything feels too real, too tangible to be just inside her head. 

A flicker of movement catches her eye. There, seated at the table, is a woman with long, auburn hair cascading down her back. Ariel's breath catches in her throat. 

She stops short. Is it — her? Or is it that thing? 

The second Ariel sees her, the scene seems to fizzle and vibrate, like a telly sorting through static trying to find the right channel. Everything brightens, the warm, yellow light of their home replacing the dusty green, and Ariel can see all of them — herself, Mum, Dad — they’re all there. Pumpkins are strewn about on the counters and table, the bloody ridiculous paper bats Mum had made tacked up on the kitchen cupboards. She always insisted on doing the decorations the Muggle way, and they’d always come out hideous. 

She doesn’t think she could miss something so much. Ariel freezes, heart pounding, as the achingly familiar scene unfolds before her. It's Halloween — it’s that night — their last Halloween together before everything shattered. She watches, transfixed, as her younger self bounces around the kitchen, excitedly chattering about carving pumpkins.

Dad is on the couch with the Prophet, sneering every few sentences or so. He’d been on edge that night, muttering about the Wards and the last time Dumbledore had been by to see them. Mum has her sleeves rolled up, pumpkin guts screen about the countertop, laughing as she attempts to shape a pumpkin into something resembling a grinning face. The sound of her laughter fills the room, a soothing balm that pushes back the shadows clawing at Ariel’s heart. 

“Is that meant to be a nose?” Other-Ariel grins, turning over Mum’s pumpkin to inspect it. She’d made one eye far too big and too low, it’s half so lopsided it looked like it was melting off.  “Or another mouth?” 

"Cheeky!” Mum tousles her hair before smoothing it back into place.  “Just wait until you see the finished product."

"That means she's botched it," Dad comments from behind his newspaper.

Mum shoots him a playful glare. "I'd like to see you do better, mister.” 

“I’d rather not. The artistic endeavor lies with you, unfortunately.” 

Mum sends a pumpkin seed whizzing through the air. Ariel hides her giggles behind her hands when it thwacks him in the forehead, causing him to scowl as he throws the paper down. 

“Stop being a pill and show us your carving skills, then.” Mum smirks when Dad throws the paper down and stands, his eyes lingering on the windows. He’s drawn the curtains, much to Mum’s dismay, but the amount of people walking about outside was making him nervous. 

Ariel feels herself lurch forward as Dad’s eyes sweep over the table, arching an eyebrow. He picks up a carving knife and examines it.

"I fail to see how mutilating vegetables constitutes as a holiday tradition," he drawls.

Mum rolls her eyes. "It's fun, Sev. Fun. ” 

“Look, Dad!” Other-Ariel tries to lift up her pumpkin to show him, but it slips from her small hands. Dad's reflexes are quick — he catches it before it can hit the floor.

"Careful," he chides gently, setting the pumpkin down. He lifts Ariel up so that he can sit beside Mum, setting Ariel on his lap. “If you smash yours, your mother will be crowned the winner, and we can’t have that happen. That thing is an abomination.”  

 "I'll have you know this is a masterpiece in the making."

“I think it’s very scary, Mummy.” Other-Ariel chides, poking Dad in the ribs. 

He snorts. “That’s one word for it.” 

Mum scrunches up her nose playfully. "Oh, is that so? Well, let's see what the master carver can do then."

Dad's eyes linger on the windows again as he cranes his neck above Other-Ariel’s head. His fingers drum against the table, a nervous rhythm that sets Ariel's teeth on edge. She can see the tension in his shoulders, the way his eyes dart around the room as if searching for unseen threats. 

Ariel knows what’s coming next. 

And there’s nothing she can do to stop it. She wants to shout a warning, to tell them to run, to hide, but she knows it's useless. This is just a memory, a cruel echo of the past that she's powerless to change.

“Sev?” Mum lowers the knife, eyebrows knitted together in concern. 

Ariel tries anyway. She lurches forward and makes it to the table, tries to shake her Dad’s arm, but she’s nothing but mist and vapor. Her hand goes straight through, and when she tries to speak, nothing comes out. Ariel tries to kick the table but Other-Ariel traces lines in marker on her pumpkin and Dad watches her work. 

Mum is frowning, now, noticing the worry lines tightening in Dad’s face. Other-Ariel doesn’t notice, grabbing her carving knife to start on her pumpkin’s eyes while her parents seem to have some sort of silent exchange. Mum’s hand squeezes Dad’s shoulder, her hand threading through his black hair soothingly as they sit quietly for what feels like eons. 

Other-Ariel breaks the silence. “Dad, you’re not helping!”

Dad blinks, as if coming out of a trance. He looks down at Other-Ariel and gives a small smile that doesn't quite reach his eyes. "My apologies. What would you like me to do?"

"Help me with the eyes," Other-Ariel says, pointing at her lopsided pumpkin. "I can't get them even."

Dad’s just picking up the knife when it happens. 

The power goes out, plunging the room into darkness. 

Through the inky blackness she sees Dad shoot up — nearly knocking Other-Ariel to the floor. Mum catches her just in time, just as Other-Ariel lets out an indignant “hey!” and something shoots through the air. It shimmers above their heads and then dims, fading as the calls of children and parents outside become the only sound in the room. 

“Sev —” Mum starts, her voice tight. 

“What happened?” Other-Ariel asks. 

Dad doesn’t say anything. Golden light pulses around his wand and up his wrist. It goes out with a hiss, smoking at the ends as Dad hurries towards the front of the flat. 

Ariel closes her eyes when the front door caves in with a deafening crack. 

[hollyevolving]

Elden Ring One-Shot: O Ye of Little Faith

This one is a LOT of fun. They get up to speed within moments and then they just. Stay. Up. There.

They’re clever and charming and the jokes come as fast as the action. This is definitely one of my favorite Critical Role games.

[out-of-the-forest-i-come]

Here is a non-exhaustive list of queer fiction books coming out in March 2024. This list covers only standalones or books that are the first in a series; if you want to check out which queer series are being continued, you can check out the post that comes out tomorrow. Also, as I support the SMP boycott, there will be no SMP books on this list. (This is a marketing boycott, so if you still wish to support the authors by buying their books, please check out the march releases on your own.)

Please note that I have not checked the trigger warnings or possible problematic content/author for these books, this is merely an informative list.

SFF:

Be the Sea; Clara Ward, March 5th

The Baker & the Bard; Fern Haught, March 5th (graphic novel)

The Marble Queen; Anna Kopp, March 5th

The Poisons We Drink; Bethany Baptiste, March 5th

Song of the Huntress; Lucy Holland, March 7th

A Hunt of Blood and Iron; Cara Nox, March 12th

Monster Crush; Erin Ellie Franey, March 12th (graphic novel)

These Fragile Graces, This Fugitive Heart; Izzy Wasserstein, March 12th

Those Beyond the Wall; Micaiah Johnson, March 12th

Chrysalis and Requiem; Quinton Li, March 16th

Cascade Failure; L.M. Sagas, March 19th

The Emperor and the Endless Palace; Justinian Huang, March 26th

Horror & Gothic:

Thirst; Marina Yuszczuk, translated by Heather Cleary, March 5th

A Botanical Daughter; Noah Medlock, March 19th

The Woods All Black; Lee Mandelo, March 19th

Dead Girls Walking; Sami Ellis, March 26th

Thriller & Mystery:

Rainbow Black; Maggie Thrash, March 19th

Where Sleeping Girls Lie; Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, March 19th

A Deadly Walk In Devon; Nicholas George, March 26th

Romance:

The No-Girlfriend Rule; Christen Randall, March 5th

Just Another Epic Love Poem; Parisa Akhbari, March 12th

Really Cute People; Markus Harwood-Jones, March 12th

Cover Story; Rachel Lacey, March 26th

Icarus; K. Ancrum, March 26th

The Boyfriend Subscription; Steven Salvatore, March 26th

Historical fiction:

Pelican Girls; Julia Malye, March 5th

The Tower; Flora Carr, March 7th

The Phoenix Bride; Natasha Siegel, March 12th

All the World Beside; Garrard Conley, March 26th

Contemporary & Literary fiction:

A Different Kind of Brave; Lee Wind, March 5th

Ellipses; Vanessa Lawrence, March 5th

Ariel Crashes a Train; Olivia A. Cole, March 12th

These Letters End in Tears; Musih Tedji Xaviere, March 12th

Like Happiness; Ursula Villarreal-Moura, March 26th