#because they are already a different breed than folktales

[laurasimonsdaughter]

What if Disney adapted The White Cat?

It'd look like this:

Although in a lot of the old illustrations for The White Cat, the cat princess is fully clothed in dramatic courtly fashion. So Disney could go full Robin Hood with this and have the prince be the only human at a full anthro cat court.

Silly photoshop aside, I think Madame d'Aulnoy's The White Cat could actually be a great candidate for an animated fairy tale movie, but to make it fully Disney I think I'd shorten it a bit and borrow a pinch of Disney's Aladdin

The ending needs the most changes. The prince will no longer have any brothers to compete with, he's an only child. And instead of a father afraid that his son(s) will steal the throne from him, the kind old king is under the influence of an Evil Advisor who is convincing him that his son is not fit to take the throne. The advisor persuades the king that the prince must prove his worthiness by fulfilling impossible impossible tasks:

To find a dog so small it can jump through a ring.

To find a fabric fine enough to be drawn through the eye of a needle.

And finally, to find a bride wise enough, kind enough and noble enough that her esteem alone would prove his worthiness.

The prince sets out on his first quest and gets hopelessly lost in the woods, stumbling into a magical castle full of talking cats, ruled by a white cat who is addressed by all the others as their princess. She helps him complete the first task and he returns to her for the second one.

Now, to make this more Disney, I will borrow from d'Aulnoy's Beauty and the Beast and let the prince have dreams in which the white cat, who grows fonder of every minute, turns into a human. So they can have a romantic song and dance together before he wakes up with a start.

When the last challenge is given the prince is dejected. He goes back to the white cat and explains he does not want to complete this quest, because he does not want a bride. He wants to stay with her. He begs her to turn him into a cat so he can stay with her. But the white cat tells him she can make sure he can complete the challenge and gain his happiness besides, if only he will do as she says.

Now this is a difficult point in the story to adapt. Because in the original the white cat asks the prince to cut her head off. This is a folklore motif with great pedigree, but a little grisly for Disney. (Not because of the level of violence, but because it's two good characters doing it to each other.) I'm not sure what to replace it with though. The best thing I can think of right now is the cat asking him to throw her into the river, so she can emerge as a beautiful dripping wet princess.

Either way the prince does as she asks and the cat turns into the human woman from his dream. The princess explains that she was cursed by the Evil Advisor (gasp) for refusing to marry him and that the curse could only be broken by someone who trusted her completely. (I am leaving out d'Aulnoy's dramatic fairy backstory, sorry Marie-Catherine, it's great but it's too much.)

Her entire court of cats also transforms back into human courtiers and servants (who still have comical cat-like behaviours) and the prince and princess travel back to the prince's court amidst a glorious procession.

The Evil Advisor is exposed and dealt with (drop him off a convenient cliff, you know the drill), the king comes to his sense, praises his son, consents to the marriage, adores his daugher-in-law, and everyone is sure to live happily ever after.

The prince scratches the princess behind her ear before kissing her at the wedding.

~The End~

[rainintheevening]

For the story asks: 4, 13, 16, 19, and 22 for the last thing you READ and the last thing you WATCHED.

Okay last thing I read was North! Or Be Eaten by Andrew Peterson, the second of the Wingfeather series.

4: assign this story a hyper-specific genre name, e.g. "inspirational religious semi-horror sci-fi western" (yes, that's Trigun)

Comic religious fantasy coming-of-age bedtime story, with names that were definitely suggested by children.

13: tell me an out-of-context piece of worldbuilding or lore!

The Fangs of Dang decompose and turn to dust really quickly after getting killed.

16: do you think this story has broad appeal, or is it meant for a very specific audience? if it's more "niche", what kind of person would most enjoy this story?

Hmmm, well it is the epitome of a read-aloud-to-children story. The names and the creatures and other aspects of the world building sound very childish at first. It is a story written by a Christian for Christian families. I think any children who like stories would love it, but as you get older, reading it for the first time, it becomes more niche. It's best for fairytale minded folks with a goofy side, I think.

19: pitch an idea for a sequel or spinoff novel for this story!

Well, this is the second of four, so I don't know where it's going yet. Check back with me about this one later.

22: FREE SPACE: say anything you want about the story!! <3

I will want to read this story aloud to my kids someday. As long as it ends well...👀

Okay, last thing I watched was Disney's Mulan (the original animated one), and I really enjoyed it!

4: assign this story a hyper-specific genre name, e.g. "inspirational religious semi-horror sci-fi western" (yes, that's Trigun)

Coming-of-age, war, girl-meets-boy, Chinese folktale

13: tell me an out-of-context piece of worldbuilding or lore!

Ummmm, the design of the different horses is very intentional as they are specific breeds that would have been used by the Chinese people and the Huns.

16: do you think this story has broad appeal, or is it meant for a very specific audience? if it's more "niche", what kind of person would most enjoy this story?

Oh, I think it has very broad appeal. It's a classic folktale, there's so much humor in it, and the songs are bangers. Well, except for that credits song; 'Loyal Brave True' is SO much better.

19: pitch an idea for a sequel or spinoff novel for this story!

Why do I keep finding my mind blank for this question? Not to mention this also has a sequel already. WAIT. DOES MY KNOCK-OFF MULAN STORY COUNT??? This is inspired by, but definitely different from Mulan. It starts with a girl, disguising herself as a boy and going off to fight, but the reader doesn't know what name she takes as a boy, and the body of the story is told by an actual boy, so it's a bit of a game trying to figure out which of the soldiers around the POV character is the girl. Especially because there's more than one character with something to hide...

It would be about friendship, the cost of war, bravery, how both skill and hard work are good things, loyalty, and even a little dash of romance.

I guess that's a spinoff?

22: FREE SPACE: say anything you want about the story!! <3

I did not expect to laugh so much. I love the LA one, primarily for the gorgeous settings, and the fight scenes, but it's much more serious, much more about the drama and intensity. It's an action flick. But the animated one is so freaking HILARIOUS. I laughed until I cried more than once. It was fantastic like that. Also makes me REALLY want to rewatch the LA one. I love that they're different enough so I can easily love both at the same time.

[zinaidas]

HER EYES, HER LARGE DARK EYES, WERE AMBIGUOUS — 

𝐍𝐀𝐌𝐄: zinaida petrovna sabitova

𝐑𝐎𝐋𝐄: the sacred

𝐀𝐆𝐄: twenty-five

𝐎𝐂𝐂𝐔𝐏𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍: principal dancer at the bolshoi ballet

𝐏𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐓: here.

—a delicate nose tucked into a fur collar, the flashing of camera bulbs white-cold and relentless as the snow, perfume no one can identify, a knife hanging from the ceiling; thread fraying, the slow undoing of a velvet bow, walking into the sea in an evening dress, the bargains made in folktales, smiling without showing teeth, heat from a spotlight, a striking figure in a black dress, blood in pointe shoes, unopened gifts, kissing a cold statue, balancing atop the balcony railing, straining muscles, lying naked atop the bedspread, a rose pushed to bowing under the weight of snowdrift, a crown that mysteriously fits, swans on the morning lake, lipstick stains, pulling death from the tarot deck, the gaze of a room sweeping in one direction, a glass throne, flowers being thrown on stage, grainy black and white footage of far-away figures, the cold draft through a window purposefully left open, the scent of perfume lingering in an empty room, perfect posture, the shot that puts down a lame horse.

𝐇𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘, 𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐕𝐈𝐀 & 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐍𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 𝐔𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐔𝐓 !

trigger warnings for: implied sex work, sexual assault, drowning, suicide, & attempted suicide.

𝘏𝘐𝘚𝘛𝘖𝘙𝘠 !

i swear this is abbreviated compared to her app... i swear...

𝐀𝐂𝐓 𝐈: 𝐀 𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐒𝐄 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐑𝐄𝐃 𝐖𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐒.

she’s raised by her mother in an apartment with red walls, a colour she remembers not as blood-red or rose-red but heart-red. her mother is beautiful in the way no single individual should be and charming in a way that borders on symptomatic of terror. as a woman she excels, captivating hearts around her without intention and outright pilfering those she aims for, but as a mother she knows little. it is never a secret to little zinaida that she was an unplanned child — the absence of a father is evidence enough.

her childhood is blurred and full of a great deal of whirring colour; the red walls, the churning silhouettes cast by light of a candle, the twirl of her mother’s skirt before she leaves for the night. girlhood is always full of this motion and little stillness — the solid, rectangular parts of life such as school and full meals are of little importance to zinaida’s mother, and sometimes forgotten altogether. she learns to be a quiet, undisruptive girl who does not whine when her stomach grumbles or the scent of smoke stains her clothes; she is educated on the value of trading rations for pure silk stockings when the war comes in place of the missed lessons. there is no time beauty is required more, mother says, than in duress. always, it prevails.

at night she sits on the edge of mother’s bed and watches as she applies makeup at the vanity, setting her face with rouge and powder in flaking gilt packages. it’s like magic those hours, watching her mother transform into a proud creature even more beautiful and untouchable than the one in the beginning, and how it is that extraordinary demi-being that returns home with beautiful trinkets or thick handfuls of paper bills. each morning she comes home, until the one she does not.

the man in the dark suit arrives at her front door and tells little zinaida, whose height only reaches his hip, one thing she knows to be a half-truth and one thing that she does not know of at all: that her mother is a prostitute, and a traitor to the soviet union. these things are explained to her as both independent facts and contingent clauses, like the two angular pieces of a door hinge.

her mother is accused, she is told, of blackmailing one of the state council. young zinaida blinks, still gripping the doorknob. it is not news to her that her mother associates with rich and powerful men, but it is news to hear that this is a crime. blackmailing? she asks. yes, he says. it means to threaten with a piece of information. only, in this case, the information is false. she is lying, and she has been arrested. oh. the girl says. it seems very odd to her that her mother, who so often lessoned zinaida on the truths of the world as she saw them (for instance, that men were only afraid of the two things they could not control: beauty, and death), would be caught lying. what is the information? the man looks down at her from under his hat. it begins to rain behind him. you. she says you are his daughter. everyone has a father. she answers. why is this so bad? for the first time, the stranger in the doorway looks uncomfortable, lifting a hand to scratch the midday shadow along his jaw. she claims it is by force.

𝐀𝐂𝐓 𝐈𝐈: 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐈𝐑𝐃𝐂𝐀𝐆𝐄.

driven out from stalingrad into the surrounding country by the man in the dark hat, zinaida is taken to an estate with wrought iron gate, overrun with weeds and the sensation of time passed and left embittered for it. there she finds a half-dozen other girls, all bastards of important and high-sat men. she and the other girls call it the birdcage: for their imposed home gleamed like one, and because it housed a half-dozen little sparrows of young women, each of them trapped, fluttering at windows, waiting to get out and touch the world.

despite its size, the estate has few staff, and those who do cook and clean within the walls keep their silence like a photograph tucked in their pocket. uncle vanya, as they are told to call him, is the only one who speaks to the girls — though his speech is always stunted and harsh as a candle burned halfway down. he stands as both the head of household and, as zinaida would learn, the ballet master. dance, he says, is how they will occupy their days — ballet the medium which would instill discipline and self-control into their lives, things they will then carry into life as young women released back into the city.

the war feels so distant in the countryside, wrapped as they are in their strange, repetitious daily life. dance occupies both the time & intention of each day; if they are not practicing they are stretching, and if they are not stretching all that there is schoolwork, sleep, or chores.

zinaida, tall for her age and with a body made lean by intermittent poverty, is objectively made for the stage in ways she has no control over — but her skill, too, is preternatural. already accustomed to suffering, she has no wide eyes when uncle vanya chastises her, nor wobbling lip when her pointe shoes graft sections of skin from her toes and heels. she merely persists. more than that, she begins to exist. she has found what her mother told her about all that time ago: a beauty that survives even dread. even the end of the world.

her skill over the others — and perhaps even moreso, her desire to dance — is quickly noticed by the uncle and the girls both. her peers grow cold, irritated by what makes her different — what makes her special in a world where all must be communal. uncle vanya, however, pays closer attention. after dinner on her eighth birthday, he bends to one knee and looks zinaida in the eye, one hand on her shoulder. you can go to leningrad to dance, if you wish. they will teach you, and I can arrange it. will you go? she, with her raven-hair and bright, solemn little eyes looks back with a very simple answer: what else would I do?

( and she thinks, she thinks: if only i am good enough, perhaps they will take me to mother again. perhaps i will not be alone. )

𝐀𝐂𝐓 𝐈𝐈𝐈: 𝐖𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒 𝐓𝐀𝐊𝐄 𝐖𝐈𝐍𝐃.

she comes of age in the breeding grounds of race and rivalry. zinaida is found, as uncle vanya has expected, a prodigal dancer with bodily proportions meant for the stage. her peers resent or flock to her, hoping to find a queen to please or a star to hitch to. so long without true companions, she is desperate for the affection of those around her — for friends, for lovers — but the demand of ballet, the pull of a future with the bolshoi, usurps the ability to make connection. still, she dreams. she imagines loving every individual who shows her kindness.

innessa anisimova is another vaganova pupil with great promise, and perhaps zinaida’s singular dearest friend. both seventeen and dark-haired, they are often mistaken for sisters, and take their places next to one another at the barre. though the academy and its tutors were brutal to all who entered, innessa is picked on by the school’s faculty, often critiqued by comparison to zinaida. they accuse her of having a leaden body, criticizing her footwork by saying it looked as though she had bricks tied to her feet. the stress of the training coupled with increasingly personal attacks, innessa’s mental health suffers until reaching a point of no return. on a cold november night, innessa looks to the verbal attacks of her instructors and takes her own life, lashing cinderblocks to her shoes and jumping into the nearby lake.

several months later, zinaida makes an attempt on her own life before a handful of instructors in a fit of mania. the knife is wrenched from her hand, but the motion leaves a 2-inch scar across her delicate neck. zinaida is given a brief reprieve from lessons, and the academy, unwilling to release their star, covers up the incident. still, rumours persist.

at eighteen, after graduation from vaganova and weeks prior to her debut with the bolshoi, zinaida goes the ‘60s version of viral after her measurements are taken in several national newspapers, put out as proof that she has the “perfect” ballet body printed along with interviews & articles. the image of her at 18, extended in fourth position while a journalist holds a measuring tape down her leg, along with subsequent video footage, has been widely circulated.

𝐀𝐂𝐓 𝐈𝐕: 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐉𝐄𝐖𝐄𝐋 𝐎𝐅 𝐌𝐎𝐒𝐂𝐎𝐖.

her debut is remarkable, her place as a celebrated figure quickly evolving into celebrity as she rises from the corpse to soloist and principal in a thin handful of years, two meteoric ascents. but the fame is not wholly naturally: instead, it is in part carefully cultivated. having sought an effigy for the general populace to rally behind and support — a face more personal than authority figures, and less frivolous than america’s movie stars — the soviet government decide on zinaida. she, with her generation-defining talent, exemplified a human excellence that could be strained into a narrative of natural soviet supremacy — a thing so potent, they want you to believe, that it manifested in the body itself.

she attends high profile events; she’s dressed in foreign clothes; her personal life is gossip; she’s seen on the arms of extremely important men. the glamour is muted but still there, meant to showcase what any soviet could attain through hard work and excellence; she is a celebrity, but of a different kind. much like her skeleton title, her reputation is carefully cultivated to be exactly that — sacred. the brand of her image is one meant to mark a certain exclusivity, a sanctity that cannot be broached by things unworthy. her absences are as important as her attendances, as it’s within these blank spaces that the general public can imagine what the government desires them to: that she resists parties for practice, dismisses romance for work. of all she has, all that zinaida knows as earned in truth is her position at the bolshoi — but even this remains at the discretion of the soviet government, as everything in her life does.

𝘙𝘜𝘔𝘖𝘜𝘙𝘚 & 𝘗𝘜𝘉𝘓𝘐𝘊 𝘗𝘌𝘙𝘊𝘌𝘗𝘛𝘐𝘖𝘕 !

... ONLY ATTENDS EVENTS FOR A LARGE APPEARANCE FEE / half-true. she occasionally receives payment through the government for attending events they dictate to her, but she doesn’t have much of a choice anyway lol.

... WAS ENGAGED TO A YOUNG COUNCIL MEMBER, HAVING BEEN WON OVER BY HIS PURSUIT: ATTENDING EVERY SHOW OF THE 1960 SEASON / false. the councilman did attend every show, but the romance (and subsequent rumour) was contrived. this was largely done to unite a “people’s” figure with one of authority. zinaida and artyom mikhailov would have a brief and genuine relationship during this time, but it ended prematurely.

... WILL BE NAMED PRIMA BALLERINA AT THE END OF THE SEASON / ?? it’s considered an ill-kept secret and all-but-verified fact by the public, but we’ll see.

... CAUSED THE OVERSEERS OF HER VAGANOVA AUDITION TO CRY WITH HER PERFORMANCE / false. similar things have been said of her bolshoi audition, but it’s untrue.

... IS RELATED TO XYZ. / who knows. not zinaida. there are a handful of random rumours as to her parentage, but largely this is due to the fact that her life before vaganova is unknown. unwilling to have their figurehead linked to a scandalous birth or mother, the soviet gov has scrubbed and hid her records.

𝘛𝘙𝘐𝘝𝘐𝘈 !

to hide the scar on her neck, zinaida constantly wears necklaces and scarves - she’s known for wearing a black velvet choker even during rehearsals.

knows how to read palms and tarot cards by heart, skills remembered from her childhood with an unusual mother who came from a crooked house in the black woods. zin carries that little bit of witchiness quietly with her, between occasional occult practices and the mental ritualizing of her modern habits. superstitious, though she doesn’t like to show it.

frequently after performances, zinaida rushes from the fallen curtain to her dressing room, not stopping to speak to cast or crew. this likely incurs opinions of snobbish or diva behaviour, but it’s emotion rather than apathy that has her take to the private room. the emotions of a role, when not allowed to move and expel through performance, tend to overwhelm her once she stills -- leading to tears, tremors, and other vulnerabilities she doesn’t wish her peers to see.

the media and general populace have several nicknames for her, most prevalently the jewel of moscow (stalingrad? idk) and the tsarina (graduated from the tsarevna, her pre-principal nickname).

obsessive over preventative beauty and bodily measures -- even moreso than the average ballerina. there are lengthy morning and nighttime routines for both, with everything from face creams/serums to stretching, and the ritual of it soothes her.

she has no idea who her father is, but frequently thinks about the fact that any of the old men in authority she poses with for the papers could be Him. her patronymic was assigned to her before debut.

terrified of her own mortality, and subsequently dislikes being around the elderly.

contrary to what was told to her so many years ago, her mother was never arrested for attempting to blackmail a politician. she was, conversely, offered a large sum of money to send her illegitimate child to the estate in the country. though i’m still working through how she discovered this, zinaida is aware of at least part of this truth by now. 

has the awfully fatalistic habit of practicing choreography and positions on the edge of a high building, particularly when overcome with guilt, anger, or melancholy. to her, this is a resolute test -- either she is strong and agile enough to uphold herself, to balance with utter perfection, or she is not. and if she is not -- is life not ruined regardless?

applauded for the depth and intensity of her characterizations on stage and the ability to embody a role, removing the audience’s view from one of technical steps to that of a character and a story. her talent, generally speaking, is considered a once-in-a-generation -- along the lines of the anna pavlovas and margot fonteyns; a name that goes down in both russian and ballet history. 

𝘊𝘖𝘕𝘕𝘌𝘊𝘛𝘐𝘖𝘕𝘚 !

tbd. i just need to post this already gdi.

[ramblings-of-a-mad-cat]

HPHM Patronus Headcanons

We all have one, and we all have ideas for what the characters would have. Let me know what you guys think too! Rakepick isn’t listed because we already know her Patronus, and I’m probably going to talk about OCs in a different post, or else I’ll add them later once I’ve finally made up my mind.

Rowan Khanna - Aardvark

I’m not the only one who sees it, right? Our wonderful Rowan is quirky and inventive and if they were a wild animal, they’d employ such brilliance and like the aardvark, devise a unique way to catch their food. On a more somber note, Aardvarks are nocturnal and they aren’t pack animals - making them a good symbol for a kid who preferred to stay inside and read rather than help with the farm, a kid who really didn’t have that many friends beyond the people they knew by association to MC. Still, aardvarks are weirdly adorable and if you tell me you wouldn’t pet one, you would be a liar.

Ben Copper - Field Mouse

A small creature that is able and hide very easily, definitely suits a character who was, for such a long time, very timid. A character who knew how to cover his tracks - whether or not he was using such abilities for shady reasons. Mice normally symbolize innocence and modesty, but they’ve also been seen as unlucky before. In more traditional times they were seen as symbols of dark magic, or even the underworld - since they could often carry disease, were hard to capture, and usually came from the ground. Mice do have that dark side, and so does Ben - we’ve seen it in Year Six, and he’s definitely still hiding something. That was never really resolved. 

Penny Haywood - Mourning Dove

This one is pretty easy. Doves have always been seen as a fundamental symbol of innocence. A messenger that comes to banish worried or troubled thoughts, and usher in goodness in their wake. Penny is nothing if not a force for good. Characters like Merula have even lamp-shaded how irritating it is. However, the Mourning Dove in particular is known for it’s melancholy call, invoking the symbolism of losing a loved one. Between Scarlett and Beatrice, Penny has demonstrated that however helpful she is to her friends, she doesn’t know how to deal with her own serious problems. She’s a hopeful, caring person...but there’s a distinct sadness blended in as well. When someone innocent is hurt, the pain is that much worse for them. 

Beatrice Haywood - Chameleon

Beatrice seems to be a person that absorbs a lot from the people she looks up to or associates with. Not just in personality, but in physical appearance too. In Year Five, by her own admission, she was a “Mini Penny” and in Year Six, she takes after Ismelda quite a bit. Chameleons are of course, known for their ability to blend in with their surroundings. It’s their claim to fame. What’s more, the Labord’s Chameleon hatches after the parents have already died, meaning they have to make it without any support from the grownups. Not that Beatrice doesn’t have support, but...the teachers/staff have failed to protect her in the past, and she’s well aware of that. 

Merula Snyde - Cat

Oh, she is such a cat. Few characters come close to being as cat-like as Merula. From her haughty and arrogant nature tying in to how people often see felines, to her actually being very lonely and desperate for love. If you’ve never had a cat, then believe me, they want your attention - it’s just that most of the time they refuse to admit it. Merula is the same way. Because of her upbringing, she seems to gravitate toward being a predator animal, or at least wanting to be one. But also the kind of predator that would play with it’s food and make a game out of it. Think of it this way - given Merula’s background, she wouldn’t know what a laser pointer is. And with her stand-offish personality, she would totally try to investigate it like a little cat. 

Bill Weasley - Koala

The Koala Totem is said to symbolize a gentle nature, and give a calming effect on people. Bill isn’t just the oldest brother to all the Weasleys - he looks out for everyone in the Cursed Vault gang. In general, Koalas are social and easy-going animals who have been known to represent kindness and family. They’re also known for being inactive - which I wouldn’t say that Bill is, but despite his Big-Bro energy, he never really tries to stop MC and their friends when they’re getting into mischief. He didn’t stop Harry from trying to make a deal with Griphook either. He just kinda lets people do their own thing most of the time, or comes along if he’s invited.

Charlie Weasley - Dragon

What can I say? I couldn’t resist. Sure, it may be unlikely that he would actually have a Dragon for a Patronus, but we do know that such a form is possible. Just very rare. Well you know what? This wonderful cinnamon roll has earned it. Doesn’t mean he would summon a full-grown dragon on his first attempt though.There’s a head-canon I’ve seen that I really like, which says that Animagus/Patronus forms can sometimes start as babies, and “grow” the better at them you get. Alternatively, his Patronus could literally just be a baby dragon. As for the breed, I’ll leave that open to interpretation, but I’m gonna say Norwegian Ridgeback. 

Skye Parkin - Hyena

Frequently scavengers, and often seen as cowardly - Hyenas are still vicious and are typically able to claim the kill. Sometimes even driving off larger predators and stealing their hard earned prey. Which is exactly the kind of dishonorable thing Skye would do. She seems to believe strongly in her “pack” or her team, and depend on them to have her back even when she’s getting into nonsense. Traditionally, the Hyena is also seen as secular, with it’s constant laugh being an act of defiance. Skye is a cheerful person most of the time...but she has shown that she has little regard for rules or authority figures that are not her Dad. 

Murphy Mcnully - Bottle-nose Dolphin

Dolphins are interesting. They have a reputation for being very sweet and excitable, but they can often be...shall we say, rude or invasive. I love Murphy to bits, but he doesn’t always know how to read a room, and he’s entirely open about his bias toward MC’s team - even more-so than Lee Jordan. That being said, Dolphins are social, playful, and intelligent creatures. With unusual abilities like echolocation, they certainly match Murphy in his quirky brilliance. They’re caring, helpful creatures that will actually aid other animals in need, including humans. Even though Murphy isn’t actually a player on MC’s Quidditch team, he might as well be. 

Orion Amari - Elephant

Orion is such a wonderful character. He might be an oddball, but he’s truly wise beyond his years. Elephants not only represent wisdom, but have been known to symbolize loyalty, sensitivity, peace, stability...all the great qualities that Orion embodies. They’re known for taking care of the herd, just as Orion looks after his team. They might be a little quirky, with their large ears and trunks that most other animals don’t have...but Orion is quirky as well. Some say that with their trunks down, Elephants are accumulating positive energy to push through their trials, which takes me back to the scene where Orion gives MC Quidditch robes. I cry every time.

Erika Rath - Lion

To be clear, a male lion. I know that a lioness can be interpreted differently, and we already have a character with that Patronus. No, Erika is a pack leader. Even if she’s not the Captain of her team, they seem to depend very heavily on her. She’s also ferocious. I mean, tell me with a straight face that you could take her in a fight, or that you’d ever want to. A full grown male lion lives by the code that ass-kicking equals authority, even if they don’t want to. Furthermore, the Lion and the Hyena tend to be natural enemies. Sure, a lion could take a hyena in a one-on-one fight...but what if the Hyena had it’s pack for backup? We’ve all seen Lion King...and we’ve seen how Skye has targeted Erika.

Barnaby Lee - Brown Bear

Barnaby is a man of brawn, not brain, and that’s totally fine because is also a man of heart. He’s already pretty much a bear in human form. Ranging from sweet and dopey in modern media, like Winnie the Pooh, to being seen as warriors and symbols of courage in mythology- the Brown Bear captures all of the very best parts of our favorite Slytherin cinnamon roll. He’s a gentle giant, but as we see in Year Three, he’ll jump into action to protect those he cares about the same way coming near a mama bear’s cubs will act as her berserk button. I would say the Bear really symbolizes his character arc in Year Three. 

Andre Egwu - Satin Bowerbird

This is still my favorite head-canon about Andre and you can pry it from my cold dead hands. The bowerbird, aside from being a bird and thus connecting to Quidditch - is a creature named for the “Bower” that the males build. A structure that can be made of anything from sticks to flowers to random human garbage, that they create specifically to show off to potential mates. It’s not a nest, and they don’t use it as one. It’s exclusively for mating. The Bowerbird has a sense of fashion, and it understands how to score a date. Tell me this isn’t Andre’s favorite animal. I mean it could also be the Peacock, but that’s just too obvious. 

Tulip Karasu - Jackal

I can’t believe I didn’t see it before, but this animal is perfect for the rebellious Ravenclaw. Let’s start with the fact that in the bible, Jackals represent isolation, loneliness, and abandonment. It’s okay Tulip, I’m sure she’ll forgive you one day. Then there’s the fact that they howl to establish territory, not unlike the way Tulip guards her findings with little padlocks. They’re usually seen as opportunistic, to the point where calling someone a jackal tends to them being collaborator with a sneaky or mischievous agenda. In folktales, they’re depicted as intelligent and cunning pranksters - which is just checkmate, if you ask me. Even the Jackal’s coloring kinda suits her.

Ismelda Murk - Anaconda

Like the Snake, and the Hogwarts House that carries it as an emblem, Ismelda is a misunderstood person - but that doesn’t mean she isn’t dangerous. Much like how there are stories of Anacondas eating people, that have never been verified...Ismelda talks a big game, but has never actually used the Dark Arts. A snake sheds it’s skin, just as Ismelda seems to have shed any connection to her sister, or even the rest of her family. In particular, the Anaconda is actually beloved by cultures in South America, and it was once common to sacrifice one in the name of a happy marriage...of course, that’s a pretty raw deal for the Anaconda, and I can’t help but see Ismelda as a sacrifice for the sake of her sister.

Liz Tuttle - Tortoise

As fun as it might have been to just choose a lizard and be done with it, I think a Tortoise represents Liz far better. In so many ways, it’s the ultimate symbol of patience, endurance, and persistence. If Ismelda meets all the criteria of the Slytherin stereotype - Liz is the opposite. She’s one of the most resilient characters, having to work against people thinking she’s odd, people not trusting her because she’s in Slytherin, and people generally being at odds with her belief that all creatures deserve protection. It’s not only the Hufflepuffs that care for magical critters, and Liz proves that. The Tortoise represents her decency, and her steadfast attitude. What’s more, Tortoises tend to have very long lifespans. And if Liz can face off against chimeras and come out of it unscathed...she’s gonna live a long, long life.

Talbott Winger - Golden Eagle

I doubt I need to explain this one. In the past, Animagi have been show to transform into the same animal as their Patronus. It hasn’t been confirmed that this is a rule or anything, but it applied to James and McGonagall. Besides, an eagle just suits Talbott. He’s a dreamer, a drifter, and he’s got his head in the clouds. But he also knows how to fight - having been forced to leave the nest far too early. Birds of prey generally represent victory, courage, and overcoming adversity. Which Talbott does - he’s learning to let his walls down. Taking the first steps toward accepting the losses that he’s suffered, and moving on.

Chiara Lobosca - Labrador

Supposedly cats, dogs, and birds are the most common animals to have as a Patronus. Which makes sense, but if anyone out there was truly a dog, it would be Chiara. Between her self-sacrificing loyalty to Remus, to her protective instincts in shielding MC from Greyback, she is the physical embodiment of the “we don’t deserve dogs” sentiment. As sweet as she is, she’s also quiet, so I figured a large dog was more appropriate, especially a Lab. What’s more, she’s interested in Healing, and that reminds me of service dogs. Or even just dogs that can sense when their human is sick, and gives them therapeutic cuddles.

Jae Kim - Raccoon

An inventive, practical animal - the Raccoon is known for having paws with defined fingers that allow them to do most things with their “hands” and that’s actually where the word “raccoon” comes from. I feel like the Racoon’s elusive ways and their nature as scavengers pretty closely reflects Jae and his business. Raccoons are frequently associated with adaptability and illusion. Their ringed tails and masked faces being seen as signs of thievery. But you know what? These animals are far more friendly then media would have you assume. I know from personal experience. So I think a character like Jae who is shady and skirts the law, but is ultimately a good guy, would fit the raccoon well.

Badeea Ali - Owl

Despite the magical community’s affinity for them, Owls are said to be highly rare as Patronuses, according to Pottermore. Most people don’t have them, but I think she would. I don’t think it would suit anyone better than the elusive, creative Badeea. They tend to represent wisdom, good judgment, and knowledge. It’s sharp vision representing insight and observational skills. Only a truly clever witch could be a spell inventor at this age. What’s more, Owls are an integral part of the Wizarding lifestyle. They’re constantly helpful. MC would not have survived the nightmare that was the Peeves Chapters in Year Five if not for their most mystical friend. 

Diego Caplan - Grebe

If you know anything about Grebes as birds, then you might not be too surprised. Then again, I hadn’t even heard of them until recently, but when I did I thought “Diego.” They’re waterfowls that are related to flamingos. But the Grebes have an entire ceremony dedicated to mating, which involves intricate dancing. They compete with each other for a female’s attention. I’m not saying Diego is jealous of Cedric cause he has a thing for Penny - all I’m saying is that Diego is jealous of Cedric because he has a thing for Penny. Beyond that, Grebes symbolize fearlessness and perseverance in Native American culture, supposedly bringing a calm, peaceful presence. 

And that’s it! I did it, I actually did it! I didn’t think I’d make it this far. And if you did as well, thanks for checking it out. I’d love to know what you think!

[giraffles]

Of A Feather

IT’S CAPTAIN HARLOCK WEEK KIDS. Which means I have absolutely nothing prepared and spent the whole evening scraping this together. pls just take it as it is. 

day 1 is supposed to be your favorite tochiro, and what an unfair question, I love them all. so have a little thing with a tochiro in it instead! this is set in modern AU/the Lights Will Guide You series. 

Of A Feather

They've just finished cleaning out the den of a much hated rival when Tochiro approaches him with a squawking bundle.

you can also read it here on AO3!

They've just finished cleaning out the den of a much hated rival when Tochiro approaches him with a squawking bundle.

"What the hell is--"

"We're keeping him," Tochiro announces, pulling the sheet off the cage with a flourish, "Isn't he adorable?"

Harlock has to disagree. Inside the cage is a rather large bird, mostly black with crimson accent feathers, and beady little eyes that have murder within their depths. It shrieks even louder when exposed to the light. He can already tell that Tochiro has fallen in love.

"It's ugly. And loud."

"He's perfect," His best friend coos, "Aren't you, Tori?"

"...you didn't seriously name it 'bird', did you?"

"What's wrong with that?" Tochiro questions defensively, "Do you have a better one?"

The truth is, he doesn't. They're both garbage at coming up with fitting titles for anything; the only reason the Arcadia sounds remotely passible is because they stole it from a book of old folktales. (Harlock had personally like 'Deathshadow', but Emeraldas had stared at him blankly until he withdrew it from the table.) But naming a sorry excuse for an animal 'bird' was extra uncreative. The bird flaps its wings, nearly shaking the cage out of Tochiro's hands.

"I'm not sure bringing it along is such a good idea."

"It'll be fine." Tochiro insists. Harlock doesn't believe him for a second.

He makes a good case for returning the bird to the wild. It's a rare breed of parrot, though it looks more like some carrion eater, and it's not domesticated in the slightest. Tori only eats certain kinds of fruit, but chews relentlessly on anything within reach. The bird hates everyone in the crew, save for its savior Tochiro, and barely tolerates Harlock's presence. Tori is obnoxious, messy, and has very few redeeming qualities.

However, the discovery of a broken and badly healed wing that prevents the bird from flying straight destroys that argument. That, and Tochiro's puppy eyes are impossible to say no to. So the bird stays.

Tori never gets any better. He sheds feathers everywhere, stashes food in hidden places on the ship, and makes sure to make enough racket for an army. They find torn connection lines and trashed circuitry with suspicious claw marks, but Tochiro just laughs and fixed whatever his pet breaks. Harlock has to fish the clumsy thing out of the ocean more than once. He knows most of the crew are only joking when they say they're going to finally kill Tori, and yet he also wouldn't be surprised if it actually happened one day. Harlock instates a ship-wide 'no pets' policy. It gets broken on more than one occasion.

But life goes on. Things return to a rhythm, or they find a new one, just like whenever someone new arrives. It's not the worst thing to have ever happened on the Arcadia.

And then, everything falls apart.

The world goes so dark so fast. There are suddenly more important things than a ship, or playing the noble pirate, or a dumb bird he never wanted in the first place. His best friends are dead and there aren't enough answers in the universe for why.

One year, three months, and eight days later, Harlock strikes the deal that puts him behind bars. In exchange, everyone else's criminal records are erased. A little girl in southern California gets protection and is provided for, though she'll likely never know her parent's history. The warship Arcadia ceases to make port. And then, he waits.

Six months after that, they offer him the job.

Kei asks if he wants her to bring the bird along. The northeastern US probably isn't the best place for a tropical animal, but the thought of leaving Tori behind, or worse, handing him over to a zoo, doesn't sit well with him either. If it was anyone else's bird, he would have said to hell with it, but Tori is Tochiro's. Abandoning him would feel like accepting that there was nothing more to be done, and that is unacceptable. Maybe it's a bit of stubbornness. Maybe it's a bit of nostalgia, a bit of pity, a bit of wanting to hold onto any last thing that he can.

It's funny to watch it all play out again, but with different people. An office, albeit a secret one, is different than a ship's bridge but Tori manages to create havoc anyway. Pencils, pens, and computer cords get shredded. Snacks are stolen, only for chewed wrappers to appear later. Someone mentions they're probably breaking ordinance laws by keeping an exotic parrot within the city limits. Again, the bird stays.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." He warns Zero when he walks past with a handful of grapes. He blinks at Harlock, holds a grape in front of Tori, who then devours it before chirping. No blood is drawn. Harlock hasn't seen such a peaceful, much less affectionate, display since, well, before all of this. Tori headbutts Zero's hand in search of more treats.

"Do what?" He asks.

"Nevermind."

[mustardyellowsunshine]

20 Question Survey

@grapefruitwannabe ordered me to do this, so here ya go. I can’t deny a bff pizza slice.

First story you ever wrote: Pretending—an introspective, kind of angsty one-shot from Kagome’s perspective. That story was my first attempt at writing first-person. I don’t remember much else about it, though, because I wrote it when I was 15 and haven’t looked at it in over a decade. (For my own peace of mind, I tend to avoid rereading anything I write.)  

A story on which you have been flamed: I’ve never actually been flamed. I did get a few less-than-complimentary reviews on The Story of Which I Do Not Speak, but they weren’t nasty enough to be flames. And even if they had been, that fic kind of deserved it...

Your favorite story that you have written or are writing: To date, I’ve had the most fun writing True North. It was really fun to play with the imagery and figurative language—I got to flex my poetic muscle a little.  

Favorite story on a fanfiction site: None of my followers will be surprised when I say (for the thousandth time) that Sachi is my favorite Inuyasha fic. It’s just so well written! The characterization and the pacing and the phenomenal InuKag chemistry. I’ve reread it so many times it’s a little ridiculous. I love Waiting on a Wish for similar reasons. I also adore Folktale for the originality of its setting and the lovely romance; The Half Breed’s Wife for the delicious InuKag slow burn and the awesome portrayal of Inuyasha; Phony Digits for its wit and humor and InuKag fluff; A Fool’s Redemption for the world-building and the InuKag (you guys noticing a pattern here?)... gah, there’s just too many good stories.      

Why you became a fanfiction writer: It’s pretty simple: I fell in love with Inuyasha and I’d already been dabbling in writing. Once I found out that Inuyasha fanfiction existed, I read it voraciously and then started writing my own. 

Favorite media to write for (i.e. Pokemon, Naruto, etc.): I mean, do I even need to say it at this point?

Story you’ve reviewed the most: I have no freakin’ clue.

Your most popular story among readers: If we’re judging popularity by the amount of favorites, it’d be Common Sense; if we’re judging by review count, it’d be You Are My Shelter. 

A story on which you have/had writer’s block: The Journey Home and You Are My Shelter. Like BIG TIME writer’s block. And the hell of it is, I know what needs to happen in both stories. I have them both plotted out. I know their beginning, middle, and end... but actually getting it written out, chapter by chapter, has been so hard for me lately. Nothing I write seems good enough. DX  

A story you deleted and then resurrected later: None. I’ve deleted one fanfiction and it’s LONG gone.

Longest private messaging conversation and with whom: Most definitely with @grapefruitwannabe, though @inunanna is a really close second. (I ain’t counting them, it’d take way too long.)

Favorite genre (i.e. fantasy, adventure, crime, etc.): InuKag. *shot*

Your favorite lesser-known pairing: Grandpa Higurashi x his newspaper

Your biggest qualm when reading fanfiction: Characterization. The Inuyasha gang has to be “in character” or I lose interest real fast. Even in AUs, if the characters aren’t some iteration of themselves—if they’re fundamentally different, if they don’t feel like them—I’ll nope out. I read Inuyasha fanfiction because I love those characters and I want to see more of them. It’s great when an author explores different facets of a character, or has their own interpretation/read on a character’s development; but the character’s fundamental qualities need to be the same. If I want to read about someone’s OCs, I’ll go read a novel.  

Your biggest qualm when writing fanfiction: I second guess almost everything I write, but action sequences give me the most trouble. I also obsess over dialogue—I want it to sound natural and I’m never confident that it does.

A story you didn’t expect to get popular: Well, I don’t know that I’d classify any of my stories as “popular,” per se. But I was surprised at the reception of To Protect. I thought Grape would be the only one to care about it. XD

Your favorite reviewer: I honestly deeply appreciate everyone who leaves me a review.

Your favorite author: Quillwing717, because she gave me Sachi. (And because I must bow before her skillfulness with language and character development and pacing and complex plot lines and just. Everything.)

I’m tagging some other writers, because I wanna read their answers! @grapefruitwannabe, @stoatsandweasels, @inunanna, @gypsin, @keichanz, @artistefish, @inukag-4ever, @adorableears7