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bracketsoffear · 14 days ago

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End Leitner Reading List

The full list of submissions for the End Leitner bracket. Bold titles are ones which were accepted to appear in the bracket. Synopses and propaganda can be found below the cut. Be warned, however, that these may contain spoilers!

Anderson, Jodi Lynn: May Bird Andreyev, Leonid: Lazarus

Basye, Dale E.: Precocia Bierce, Ambrose: An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge Bunin, Ivan: The Gentleman from San Francisco

Christie, Agatha: And Then There Were None Christie, Agatha: Curtain Cook, Eliza: Song of the Worm

Enriquez, Mariana: Alguien camina sobre tu tumba (someone walks over your grave)

Gaiman, Neil: The Graveyard Book Godwin, Tom: The Cold Equations

Hill, Joe: The Black Phone (from the book 20th Century Ghosts) Hurley, Tonya: Ghostgirl Huxley, Aldous: After Many a Summer Dies the Swan

Ibbotson, Eva: Dial-a-Ghost

Kedzie, Robert: Shadows from the Wall of Death: Facts and Inferences Prefacing a Book of Specimens of Arsenical Wall Papers King, Stephen: Pet Sematary Klune, T.J.: Under the Whispering Door Kraus, Daniel: The Death and Life of Zebulon Finch

Lovecraft, H.P.: The Alchemist Lovecraft, H.P.: Cool Air Lumley, Brian: Necroscope

Márquez, Gabriel García: Crónica de una muerte anunciada (Chronicle of a death foretold) Maugham, Somerset: An Appointment in Samarra McGovern, Kate: Fear of Missing Out Moore, Christopher: A Dirty Job Moreno, Gus: This Thing Between Us Morris, Jonathan: Festival of Death

Ohland, Emma K.: Funeral Girl

Piven, Joshua & David Borgenicht: The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook Poe, Edgar Allan: Annabel Lee Poe, Edgar Allan: The Raven Pratchett, Terry: Mort Pratchett, Terry: Pyramids Pushkin, Alexander: The Queen of Spades

Sebold, Alice: The Lovely Bones Shusterman, Neal: Antsy Does Time Shusterman, Neal: Scythe Spark, Muriel: Memento Mori Stine, R.L.: Checkout Time at the Dead-End Hotel Stone, Jon: The Monster at the End of this Book Stoppard, Tom: Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead Stroud, Jonathan: Lockwood and Co. series

von Goethe, Johann Wolfgang: Erlkönig Vonnegut, Kurt: Slaughterhouse-Five

Webb, Catherine: Mirror Dreams Wilde, Oscar: The Picture of Dorian Gray Wolff, Tobias: Bullet in the Brain

Zusak, Markus: The Book Thief

Anderson, Jodi Lynn: May Bird

"Shy, precocious May Bird wants nothing more than to be accepted. One day she falls through a lake into the Ever After, a world of ghosts. As she journeys through fantastic lands, she gathers an unusual group of new friends who join together to overcome the chillingly evil Bo Cleevil and find their way home."

Andreyev, Leonid: Lazarus

The story picks up where the biblical story leaves off-- what happens to Lazarus after he is brought back to life? There's no attempt at a description that's gonna give the story justice, it is something you need to experience for yourself. Link: https://www.eastoftheweb.com/short-stories/UBooks/Laza841.shtml

Basye, Dale E.: Precocia

"Dale E. Basye sends Milton and Marlo to Precocia, the circle reserved for kids who grow up too fast, for their latest hilarious escapade in Heck.

When Bea "Elsa" Bubb, the Principal of Darkness, tells Milton and Marlo Fauster they've gotten too big for their britches, she sends them to Precocia, the circle of Heck for smartypants kids who grow up too fast. There, the children learn adult jobs. William the Kid teaches bill collection. Mozart teaches commercial jingles. And all the students are forced to act, dress, and talk like little adults. Soon, the Fausters realize that Precocia's vice principals Napoleon and Cleopatra want more than to hasten adulthood--they seem to want to eliminate childhood altogether. Can Milton and Marlo figure out their plan in time to stop it?"

Includes depictions of a horrifying alternate reality where people want to age and wither as fast as possible!

Bierce, Ambrose: An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge

We learn that a man is about to be hanged by a Union captain in the middle of a bridge over raging water in Northern Alabama. After learning how he ended up there, the man is awakened by the cold current of the river, having lost consciousness after the noose broke and he fell from the bridge. His executioners are firing at him from the bridge, he suffers a gunshot wound, comes up for air, dives back under, only to see a cannonball land within two yards. He thinks he's doomed, but then seems to be ejected from the river onto a bank, out of sight and firing range. But then he hears gunshots, escapes through the forest, taking backroads to return to his home. He seems to greet his wife, but then feels a sharp blow on his neck, sees a blinking white light, and all falls to silence and darkness. The end of the story reveals that Farquhar's broken body is still swinging from the side of Owl Creek Bridge, where he died, after all.

Bunin, Ivan: The Gentleman from San Francisco

A 58-year-old American from San Francisco, having acquired a great fortune, sets off with his wife and daughter on a world tour. After a luxurious cruise, they arrive in Naples, where he is dismayed by the unusually bad winter weather and finds that the city does not meet his expectations. They then go to Capri, where he abruptly dies in the lobby of his fancy hotel, causing a stir among the rich clientele. The second half of the story is concerned with the change in the once-deferential staff's attitude towards the gentleman, and in the dehumanizing way in which his body is treated as it makes its journey out of Italy.

The Gentleman From San Francisco is a great reminder that death can come anytime, anyplace. The Gentleman could be anyone, which is why I believe the character remains unnamed throughout the story.

Christie, Agatha: And Then There Were None

Undoubtedly Christie's scariest mystery, the novel represents a countdown for ten murderers on an island, as one by one they all die according to the dictates of a creepy nursery rhyme.

Christie, Agatha: Curtain

"Arthritic and immobilized, Poirot calls on his old friend Captain Hastings to join him at Styles to be the eyes and ears that will feed observations to Poirot's still razor sharp mind. Though aware of the criminal's identity, Poirot will not reveal it to the frustrated Hastings, and dubs the nameless personage 'X'. Already responsible for several murders, X, Poirot warns, is ready to strike again, and the partners must work swiftly to prevent imminent murder."

It's a book that was meant to be published posthumously whats more End-like than that?

Spoilers: The main villain tricks and manipulates people into killing each other(An End avatar, perhaps?). 'X' is so good that he almost makes Hastings into a murderer and makes Poirot into one. Poirot also dies in this one.

Cook, Eliza: Song of the Worm

Banger worm poem. https://rpo.library.utoronto.ca/content/song-worm

Enriquez, Mariana: Alguien camina sobre tu tumba (someone walks over your grave)

This book brings together a series of very particular travel chronicles around the world. The author travels countries and continents to visit something very specific and perhaps unusual: cemeteries. Famous and history-laden cemeteries such as Montparnasse in Paris, Highgate in London or the Jewish cemetery in Prague, and other hidden, decrepit, remote or secretly beautiful graves of famous people -Elvis' in Memphis, Marx in London- extravagant epitaphs, mourning sculptures, sensual angels and an inexhaustible string of legends and stories.

Gaiman, Neil: The Graveyard Book

It tells the story of the boy Nobody "Bod" Owens, who is adopted and reared by the supernatural occupants of a graveyard after his family is brutally murdered.

***

The boy gets raised by ghosts.

Godwin, Tom: The Cold Equations

The story of a pilot who finds a girl stowed away on his spaceship, which is delivering lifesaving medicine to a distant frontier world. The fuel had been carefully measured out, the weight precisely calculated -- and none of it accounted for the stowaway.

Hill, Joe: The Black Phone (from the book 20th Century Ghosts)

Thirteen-year-old Finney is kidnapped by a man named The Grabber. Trapped in a basement room, the boy's only hope may lie in a mysterious disconnected black phone hanging on the basement wall. The phone rings at night with the whispers of the kidnapper's previous (and now dead) victims.

Hurley, Tonya: Ghostgirl

The book is about high school senior Charlotte Usher, a young teenager who dreams of becoming popular in school, but before she gets the chance of that or asking her crush Damen out, she dies from choking on a gummy bear. What follows is a Tim Burton-esque story in which Charlotte is admitted to Dead Ed (a special education class for newly dead teens who have unresolved issues they must confront before they can move on), befriends a goth girl who can see ghosts, Scarlet, and comes to terms with her own death.

Huxley, Aldous: After Many a Summer Dies the Swan A Hollywood millionaire with a terror of death, whose personal physician happens to be working on a theory of longevity - these are the elements of Aldous Huxley's caustic and entertaining satire on man's desire to live indefinitely. With his customary wit and intellectual sophistication, Huxley pursues his characters in their quest for the eternal, finishing on a note of horror.

Ibbotson, Eva: Dial-a-Ghost

The Dial-a-Ghost Agency finds good homes for ghosts. And Fulton and Frieda Snodde-Brittle are looking for a few frightening ghosts to "accidentally" scare their young cousin and heir, Oliver, to death. The ladies at the Dial-a-Ghost Agency have the perfect match: the Shriekers, two bloodstained and bickering horrors. But thanks to a mix-up at the agency, the Wilkinsons, a kind family of ghosts, arrive instead. Can they put a stop to the Snodde-Brittles' schemes before it's too late?

Kedzie, Robert: Shadows from the Wall of Death: Facts and Inferences Prefacing a Book of Specimens of Arsenical Wall Papers

The book warns of the dangers of once-commonly used arsenic-pigmented wallpaper. The book also contains 86 samples of said wallpaper. Due to the dangerous amount of arsenic in the work, only five of the original 100 copies have survived. Most copies were destroyed by the recipient libraries. Doesn't even need to be a Leitner to kill you.

King, Stephen: Pet Sematary

Louis Creed, a doctor from Chicago, moves to a house near the small town of Ludlow, Maine along with his wife Rachel, their two young children, Ellie and Gage, and Ellie's cat, Winston Churchill ("Church"). Their neighbor, an elderly man named Jud Crandall, warns Louis and Rachel about the highway that runs past their house; it's used by trucks from a nearby chemical plant that often pass by at high speeds. A few weeks after the Creeds move in, Jud takes the family on a walk in the woods behind their home. There, a well-tended path leads to a pet cemetery (misspelled "sematary") where the town's children bury their deceased animals.

After Church is run over while the kids are visiting their grandparents with Rachel for Thanksgiving, Jud leads Louis beyond the deadfall to an ancient burial ground that was once used by the Mi'kmaqs, a Native American tribe. Following Jud's instructions, Louis buries the cat and constructs a cairn. The following afternoon, the cat returns home. However, while he used to be vibrant and lively, he now acts ornery and "a little dead", in Louis's words.

Before long, the Creed family suffers an unfathomable tragedy, and Louis is forced to confront the enormity of his grief and ask himself just how far he's willing to go to make his family whole again. In that quest, Louis will discover the truth of Judd's chilling advice: "Sometimes, dead is better."

***

The premise of this book is that there is a place out in the woods that if you bury a dead animal, it will come back to life - but it comes back Wrong. And if you were to do it to a person, something else would come back, in their body, in their place; something eldritch and evil. I'm sure someone else has already done a better submission of it with a more fleshed out synopsis but I actually want to nominate it because of this thing Stephen King does where he makes your blood run cold by dropping, in the middle of a completely innocent paragraph, "And now Gage, who had less than two months to live, laughed shrilly and joyously." It's chilling and inevitable and you don't have any way to stop it.

This book deals with death in a lot of ways, some of them positive and healthy but most of them /definitively not/. It's very Leitner because of how it makes you think about death conceptually from a lot of different angles, but in the end appreciate its finality. Because the alternative is worse.

***

When the Creeds move into a beautiful old house in rural Maine, it all seems too good to be true: physician father, beautiful wife, charming little daughter, adorable infant son-and now an idyllic home. As a family, they've got it all...right down to the friendly car. But the nearby woods hide a blood-chilling truth-more terrifying than death itself-and hideously more powerful. The Creeds are going to learn that sometimes dead is better.

Klune, T.J.: Under the Whispering Door

Welcome to Charon's Crossing. The tea is hot, the scones are fresh, and the dead are just passing through.

When a reaper comes to collect Wallace from his own funeral, Wallace begins to suspect he might be dead. And when Hugo, the owner of a peculiar tea shop, promises to help him cross over, Wallace decides he’s definitely dead.

But even in death he’s not ready to abandon the life he barely lived, so when Wallace is given one week to cross over, he sets about living a lifetime in seven days.

Hilarious, haunting, and kind, Under the Whispering Door is an uplifting story about a life spent at the office and a death spent building a home.

Kraus, Daniel: The Death and Life of Zebulon Finch

Synopsis: May 7, 1896. Dusk. A swaggering seventeen-year-old gangster named Zebulon Finch is gunned down on the shores of Lake Michigan. But after mere minutes in the void, he is mysteriously resurrected.

His second life will be nothing like his first.

Zebulon’s new existence begins as a sideshow attraction in a traveling medicine show. From there, he will be poked and prodded by a scientist obsessed with mastering the secrets of death. He will fight in the trenches of World War I. He will run from his nightmares—and from poverty—in Depression-era New York City. And he will become the companion of the most beautiful woman in Hollywood.

Love, hate, hope, and horror—Zebulon finds them. But will he ever find redemption?

Propaganda: As stated in the synopsis, Zebulon is killed and, for no apparent reason, comes back to life. It is more like in death, though; he is essentially a very-slowly-rotting corpse who walks. He discovers that he has the power to look at people in the eyes and show them their last moments, which traumatizes them. Finally, in both books Zebulon is surrounded by and responsible for many deaths.

Lovecraft, H.P.: The Alchemist

The story is recounted by the protagonist, Count Antoine de C, in the first person. Hundreds of years ago, Antoine's noble ancestor was responsible for the death of a dark wizard, Michel Mauvais. The wizard's son, Charles le Sorcier, swore revenge on not only him but all his descendants, cursing them to die on reaching the age of 32.

The protagonist recounts how his ancestors all died in some mysterious way around the age of 32. The line has dwindled and the castle has been left to fall into disrepair, tower by tower. Finally, Antoine is the only one left, with one poor servant, Pierre, who raised him, and a tiny section of the castle with a single tower is still usable. Antoine has reached adulthood, and his 32nd year is approaching.

His servant eventually dies, leaving him completely alone, and he begins exploring the ruined parts of the castle. He finds a trapdoor in one of the oldest parts. Below, he discovers a passage with a locked door at the end. Just as he turns to leave, he hears a noise behind him and sees that the door is open and someone is standing in it. The man attempts to kill him but Antoine kills him first. His dying words reveal that he is none other than Charles, who actually managed to successfully fabricate the elixir of life, enabling him to personally fulfill the curse generation after generation.

Lovecraft, H.P.: Cool Air

The short story revolves around an unnamed writer who moves into a dodgy apartment building in New York. Over time, he befriends his mysterious upstairs tenant, an old, reclusive physician who never leaves his room, which he keeps at a perpetual 55-56°. In spite of this newfound friendship, the narrator nevertheless finds something unsettling about the peculiar old man, who has a rather disconcerting obsession with the subject of death...

To say much more would spoil the plot twist. The story can be read online here: https://www.hplovecraft.com/writings/texts/fiction/ca.aspx

Lumley, Brian: Necroscope

“DEAD MEN TELL NO TALES…

Except to Harry Keogh, Necroscope. And what they tell him is horrifying.

In the Balkan mountains of Rumania, a terrible evil is growing. Long buried in hallowed ground, bound by earth and silver, the master vampire schemes and plots. Trapped in unlife, neither dead nor living, Thibor Ferenczy hungers for freedom and revenge.

The vampire's human tool is Boris Dragosani, part of a super-secret Soviet spy agency. Dragosani is an avid pupil, eager to plumb the depthless evil of the vampire's mind. Ferenczy teaches Dragosani the awful skills of the necromancer, gives him the ability to rip secrets from the mind and bodies of the dead.

Dragosani works not for Ferenczy's freedom but world domination. He will rule the world with knowledge taken from the dead.

His only opponent: Harry Koegh, champion of the dead and the living.

To protect Harry, the dead will do anything--even rise from their graves!"

Main character power is communicating with the dead very End-coded

Márquez, Gabriel García: Crónica de una muerte anunciada (Chronicle of a death foretold)

A man returns to the town where a baffling murder took place 27 years earlier, determined to get to the bottom of the story. Just hours after marrying the beautiful Angela Vicario, everyone agrees, Bayardo San Roman returned his bride in disgrace to her parents. Her distraught family forced her to name her first lover; and her twin brothers announced their intention to murder Santiago Nasar for dishonoring their sister. Yet if everyone knew the murder was going to happen, why did no one intervene to stop it? The more that is learned, the less is understood, as the story races to its inexplicable conclusion.

Maugham, Somerset: An Appointment in Samarra

It's literally only a paragraph long, just read it

McGovern, Kate: Fear of Missing Out

Everyone has a fear of missing out on something―a party, a basketball game, a hangout after school. But what if it’s life that you’ll be missing out on?

When Astrid learns that her cancer has returned, she hears about a radical technology called cryopreservation that may allow her to have her body frozen until a future time when―and if―a cure is available. With her boyfriend, Mohit, and her best friend, Chloe, Astrid goes on a road trip in search of that possibility. To see if it’s real. To see if it’s worth it. For fear of missing out on everything.

Moore, Christopher: A Dirty Job

Charlie Asher is a pretty normal guy with a normal life, married to a bright and pretty woman who actually loves him for his normalcy. They're even about to have their first child. Yes, Charlie's doing okay—until people start dropping dead around him, and everywhere he goes a dark presence whispers to him from under the streets. Charlie Asher, it seems, has been recruited for a new position: as Death.

It's a dirty job. But, hey! Somebody's got to do it.

Moreno, Gus: This Thing Between Us

It was Vera's idea to buy the Itza. The "world's most advanced smart speaker!" didn't interest Thiago, but Vera thought it would be a bit of fun for them amidst all the strange occurrences happening in the condo. It made things worse. The cold spots and scratching in the walls were weird enough, but peculiar packages started showing up at the house—who ordered industrial lye? Then there was the eerie music at odd hours, Thiago waking up to Itza projecting light shows in an empty room.

It was funny and strange right up until Vera was killed, and Thiago's world became unbearable. Pundits and politicians all looking to turn his wife's death into a symbol for their own agendas. A barrage of texts from her well-meaning friends about letting go and moving on. Waking to the sound of Itza talking softly to someone in the living room…

The only thing left to do was get far away from Chicago. Away from everything and everyone. A secluded cabin in Colorado seemed like the perfect place to hole up with his crushing grief. But soon Thiago realizes there is no escape—not from his guilt, not from his simmering rage, and not from the evil hunting him, feeding on his grief, determined to make its way into this world.

Morris, Jonathan: Festival of Death

Synopsis: "The Beautiful Death. The ultimate theme-park ride. For twenty galactic credits, you can find out what it's like to be dead.

But something has gone wrong. Visitors expecting a sightseeing tour of the afterlife have been transformed into mindless zombies, set on a killing rampage.

The TARDIS arrives in the aftermath of the disaster and, to the Doctor's baffled delight, he is immediately congratulated for saving the population from certain and terrible destruction. The only problem is, he hasn't actually done it yet.

Aided and abetted by a drug-addled hippie lizard, a hard-hitting investigative reporter and a suicidal ship's computer, the Doctor has no choice but to travel back in time and discover exactly how he became a hero.

And then he finds out. He did it by sacrificing his life."

Why it's End: A theme park ride that simulates the experience of being dead. Wow. And something went wrong? Crazy. But yeah, there's a lot to do with death and fate in here -- the Doctor is apparently fated to die at the end of his adventure, the crew of the ship being fated to die

Ohland, Emma K.: Funeral Girl

Sixteen-year-old Georgia Richter feels conflicted about the funeral home her parents run--especially because she has the ability to summon ghosts. With one touch of any body that passes through Richter Funeral Home, she can awaken the spirit of the departed. With one more touch, she makes the spirit disappear, to a fate that remains mysterious to Georgia. To cope with her deep anxiety about death, she does her best to fulfill the final wishes of the deceased whose ghosts she briefly revives.

Then her classmate Milo's body arrives at Richter--and his spirit wants help with unfinished business, forcing Georgia to reckon with her relationship to grief and mortality.

Piven, Joshua & David Borgenicht: The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook

A handy little manual that shows all the ways that you can survive the worst possible situations. And now that you have the Leitner edition, you'll be putting those skills to good use almost constantly, as every deadly thing described in those pages begins to manifest in your life.

Poe, Edgar Allan: Annabel Lee

Like a lot of the Edgar Allan Poems, this is heavily concerned with the death of young love, and a desire to be reunited in the tomb. Link: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/44885/annabel-lee

Poe, Edgar Allan: The Raven

"The Raven" A narrative poem by Edgar Allan Poe. Published originally in January 1845, the poem has a musical quality with stylized language and a supernatural atmosphere. It speaks of a mysterious talking raven's visit to a distraught lover, depicting the man's slow fall into madness. The lover is lamenting the loss of his love, Lenore. Sitting on a bust of "Pallas", the raven seems to have a purpose of further instigating his distress with its constant repetition of the word "Nevermore". This poem makes good use of a number of folk and classical references.

Pratchett, Terry: Mort

"‘YOU CANNOT INTERFERE WITH FATE. WHO ARE YOU TO JUDGE WHO SHOULD LIVE AND WHO SHOULD DIE?’

Death comes to us all. When he came to Mort, he offered him a job.

Death is the Grim Reaper of the Discworld, a black-robed skeleton with a scythe who ushers souls into the next world. He is also fond of cats and endlessly baffled by humanity. Soon Death is yearning to experience what humanity really has to offer, but to do that, he’ll need to hire some help.

It’s an offer Mort can’t refuse. As Death’s apprentice he’ll have free board, use of the company horse – and being dead isn’t compulsory. It’s a dream job – until Mort falls in love with Death’s daughter, Ysabell, and discovers that your boss can be a killer on your love life . . ."

Pratchett, Terry: Pyramids

"Being trained by the Assassin's Guild in Ankh-Morpork did not fit Teppic for the task assigned to him by fate. He inherited the throne of the desert kingdom of Djelibeybi rather earlier than he expected (his father wasn’t too happy about it either), but that was only the beginning of his problems..."

A prince taught in the school of assassins goes to claim the throne of Djelibeybi. A country that is extremely End-coded culturally, and in reality ruled not by its kings but by Dios who is an End avatar if there ever was one.

Pushkin, Alexander: The Queen of Spades

Hermann, an officer in the Imperial Russian Army, constantly watches the other officers gamble, but never plays himself. One night a friend tells him a story about how his grandmother, a countess, lost a fortune at faro, and then won it back with the secret of the three winning cards. Hermann becomes obsessed with obtaining the secret.

Herman gains access to the countess' (now 87 years old) home through an acquaintance, Lizaveta, and there Hermann accosts the countess, demanding the secret. She tells him that story was a joke, but Hermann persists and threatens her with a pistol. She dies of fright. Lizaveta helps him flee the crime scene.

At the countess' funeral Hermann is terrified to see the countess open her eyes in the coffin and look at him. Later that night, her ghost appears to him and names the secret three cards (three, seven, and ace). It tells him he must play just once each night and then orders him to marry Lizaveta. Hermann takes his entire savings to gamble at faro for high stakes. On the first night, he bets it all on the three and wins. On the second night, he wins on the seven. On the third night, he bets on the ace—but when the cards are shown, he finds he has bet on the Queen of Spades, not the ace, and he loses everything. When the Queen appears to wink at him, he is astonished by her remarkable resemblance to the old countess, and flees in terror.

In the end Hermann goes mad and is committed to an asylum. He answers no questions, but merely mutters with unusual rapidity: "Three, seven, ace! Three, seven, queen!"

This story has the end's favoured motifs: gambling, death, dreams, ghosts. Hermann tried to cheat fate but failed.

Rulfo, Juan: Pedro Páramo

A masterpiece of the surreal, this stunning novel from Mexico depicts a man’s strange quest for his heritage. Beseeched by his dying mother to locate his father, Pedro Páramo, whom they fled from years ago, Juan Preciado sets out for Comala. Comala is a town alive with whispers and shadows—a place seemingly populated only by memory and hallucinations. Built on the tyranny of the Páramo family, its barren and broken-down streets echo the voices of tormented spirits sharing the secrets of the past.

Sebold, Alice: The Lovely Bones

It tells the story of a young girl named Susie Salmon who is brutally murdered. From her unique perspective in the afterlife, Susie watches as her family and friends struggle to cope with her death and unravel the mystery surrounding it.

Shusterman, Neal: Antsy Does Time

Fueled by friendship and sympathy, Antsy Bonano signs a month of his life over to his dying classmate Gunnar Umlaut. Soon everyone at school follows suit, giving new meaning to the idea of living on borrowed time. But does Gunnar really have six months to live, or is news of his imminent death greatly exaggerated? When a family member suffers a heart attack after donating two years to Gunnar, Antsy wonders if he has tempted fate by playing God...

Shusterman, Neal: Scythe

A world with no hunger, no disease, no war, no misery: humanity has conquered all those things, and has even conquered death. Now Scythes are the only ones who can end life—and they are commanded to do so, in order to keep the size of the population under control.

Citra and Rowan are chosen to apprentice to a Scythe—a role that neither wants. These teens must master the “art” of taking life, knowing that the consequence of failure could mean losing their own.

Spark, Muriel: Memento Mori

In late 1950s London, something uncanny besets a group of elderly friends: an insinuating voice on the telephone reminds each: "Remember you must die." Their geriatric feathers are soon thoroughly ruffled, and many an old unsavory secret is dusted off.

Stine, R.L.: Checkout Time at the Dead-End Hotel

Choose Your Own Adventure books are inherently End-coded; your choices drive your fate along, and no matter what you choose, you will eventually reach an ending. I think that goes double for a CYOA book about murderous ghosts.

Stone, Jon: The Monster at the End of this Book

Grover spends the story dreading what lurks at the end of the book, much like many of us spend our life dreading its end. Grover tries in vain to stop us from bringing him closer to the book's conclusion, but for him the pages pass as inevitably as time does for us. At the end of the actual book the monster turns out to be Grover all along, but in the Leitner version Grover's fear would turn out to be justified.

Stoppard, Tom: Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead

"Hamlet told from the worm's-eye view of two minor characters, bewildered Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. Echoes of Waiting for Godot resound, reality and illusion mix, and where fate leads heroes to a tragic but inevitable end."

Two guys hanging around till the only relevant thing about them, their death, happens. And they will keep dying forever.

Stroud, Jonathan: Lockwood and Co. series

Death permeates the alternate British society of the Lockwood and Co. series. Beginning five decades before the events of the first book, the existence of ghosts became undeniable as an epidemic of deadly hauntings began. Dubbed “The Problem”, it has only gotten worse with time, with the number, strength and range of the hauntings continuing to escalate. Only children are able to detect these dangerous visitors from the other side, who can kill with a single touch. This psychic Talent fades to nothing as they age, leaving adults basically helpless when it comes to detecting and avoiding ghosts until it's too late. As adults hide inside during the night curfew, children as young as 8 are forced to act as Night Watch or as Agents who risk their lives to fight off ghosts. Mortality rates are high and those who do survive often go on to become supervisors of younger Agents, forced into the position of sending children into mortal danger and being powerless to help them. This is a society dealing with basically the aftermath of an End Ritual and/or being in an End Domain, where death and the fear of death is the major driving force for most people. This fixation on death isn’t just only fear for some; there is also a thriving black market for Sources - objects (usually human remains) that a ghost is tied to and allows them passage into the living world from the Other Side.

MASSIVE spoilers for the final book. Seriously, don’t look if you plan on reading this series (which you absolutely should and also check out the incredibly well done TV adaptation):

*Turns out that the origin of this ghost epidemic was caused by the actions of the supposed “Hero” of The Problem, Marissa Fittes, who was the first one to figure out and codify (and profit from) most defences against ghosts. Her expeditions to the Other Side caused the dead to stir and make their way to the land of the living. She was obsessed with the potential properties of ectoplasm, the substance that ghosts are made of and what makes them so deadly, including immortality. Her frequent incursions into the Other Side to harvest and utilise ectoplasm, continued to greatly escalate The Problem, which only served to increase her wealth and fame as the head of the prestigious Fittes Agency. Despite these constant trips to the realm of the dead rapidly ageing her, her experiments with ectoplasm allowed her spirit to possess the body of her granddaughter on her so-called deathbed. Now posing as her granddaughter, she continues her quest for immortality, escalating The Problem even further, which only increases her fame, fortune and power, giving her more resources to exploit both the dead and the living for her personal gain.

von Goethe, Johann Wolfgang: Erlkönig

A haunting poem about an anxious young boy who is being carried at night by his father on horseback. To where is not spelled out; the German word Hof has a rather broad meaning of "yard", "courtyard", "farm", or (royal) "court". The opening line tells that the time is late and that it is windy.

As the poem unfolds, the son claims to see and hear the "Erlkönig" (Erl-King, lit. 'alder-king'). His father claims to not see or hear the creature, and he attempts to comfort his son, asserting natural explanations for what the child sees – a wisp of fog, rustling leaves, shimmering willows.

The Erl-King attempts to lure the child into joining him, promising amusement, rich clothes, and the attentions of his daughters. Finally, the Erl-King declares that he will take the child by force. The boy shrieks that he has been attacked, spurring the father to ride faster to the Hof. Upon reaching the destination, the child is already dead.

Vonnegut, Kurt: Slaughterhouse-Five

Mostly it's about the non-linearity and the time-fuckery, especially experiencing death well before it actually happens.

Webb, Catherine: Mirror Dreams

"Every dream you've ever had, and every dream yet to come, exists in the Kingdoms of the Void. Every nightmare, too. Because there has to be balance; it's the rules. But the Lords of Nightkeep aren't big on rules; only Conquest, Fear, and Eternal Darkness for All. It takes a powerful wizard like Laenan Kite to keep them in check. But Kite has other worries, and Nightkeep is growing strong. Its Lords hunger for power. And they've turned their gaze towards earth."

Dreams are extremely End-coded and this book takes place in the dreamland. Also certain revelations about one of the characters make this even more End related.

Spoilers: Renna a dreamer turns out to be in a coma in the real world facing the very real possibility that she will get taken off life support.

Wilde, Oscar: The Picture of Dorian Gray

Upon seeing his own striking portrait Dorian Gray is bewitched and offers his soul if only the painting will age while he remains eternally youthful. Believing himself incorruptible, Dorian indulges in a life of pleasure and excess. But what has become of his portrait?

Wolff, Tobias: Bullet in the Brain

The story is about an angry and bitter book critic trapped at a bank during a robbery; when he ridicules the robbers, they shoot him fatally in the head. The rest of the story takes in place in the last few moments before he dies.

Zusak, Markus: The Book Thief

This book is narrated by death. Not a god of death, not some kind of herald of it, the abstract concept of death itself. And death permeates the entire story. The book begins with our protagonist, a young girl living smack-dab in the middle of Nazi Germany name Leisel Meminger watching her younger brother Werner die on their way to their new foster home, and it only gets worse from there. Leisel continually strives to save herself and others from the inevitable destruction and end that awaits them, predominantly, of course, by stealing books, but also eventually by harboring a Jewish man named Max Vandenburg, and it is consistently not enough. I'll spare you most of the details in the hopes of you reading it yourself, but the book ends with our protagonist's home being bombed and the deaths of her foster parents and the boy she loves. Leisel herself dies of old age decades later, and death's final words to her (and arguably to the readers themselves) are "I am haunted by humans".

#leitner tournament #reading list #end poll

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taleswritten · 1 year ago

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Under the cut is a list of muses I have for those who can’t open the google doc. Note: the google doc has detailed information about them so if you can, please open it up.

Bold is primary, italic is secondary, regular is by request.

TVD/TO/LEGACIES:

ELENA GILBERT

KATHERINE PEIRCE

DAMON SALVATORE

ALARIC SALTZMAN

LIZZIE SALTZMAN

josie saltzman

caroline forbes

bonnie bennett

Klaus Mikaelson

FINAL FANTASY:

CLOUD STRIFE (ff7r)

aeirth (ff7 remake)

tifa (ff7 remake)

Jill Warrick (ff16)

Clive Rosfield (ff16)

snow villiers

THIRTEEN REASON’S WHY:

Justin Foley

Bryce Walker

Jessica Davis

Clay Jenson

911/911 LONE STAR:

ATHENA GRANT

MADDIE BUCKLEY

OWEN STRAND

TK STRAND

GRACE RYDER

AHS:

Brooke Thompson

Montanna Duke

donovan

BBC SHERLOCK:

SHERLOCK HOLMES

BRIDGERTON:

Simon Bassett

Daphne Bridgerton

kate sharma/bridgerton

Penelope Featherington

BTVS/ATS

Buffy Summers

CORDELIA CHASE

CAOS:

SABRINA SPELLMAN

ONE CHICAGO:

natalie manning

JAY HALSTEAD

ADAM RUZEK

KIM BURGESS

Hank Voight

CRIMINAL MINDS:

Spencer Reid

Emily Prentiss

DAREDEVIL:

MATT MURDOCK

DEXTER:

DEXTER MORGAN

DCTV:

SARA LANCE

JOHN CONSTANTINE

SPOONER

EUPHORIA:

JULES VAUGHN

RUE BENNETT

FROM DUSK TIL DAWN:

Seth Gecko

Kate Fuller

GOOD GIRLS:

BETH BOLAND

Greys’ Anatomy:

meredith grey

JO WILSON

CARINA DELUCA

Ameila Shepard

GAME OF THRONES:

DANY

Jon Snow

Sansa Stark

NCB HANNIBAL:

WILL GRAHAM

HAUNTING OF BLY MANNER:

DANI CLAYTON

PETER QUINT

HEMLOCK GROVE

PETER RUMANCEK

HTGAWM:

CONNOR WALSH

LAW AND ORDER SVU:

OLIVIA BENSON

Elliot Stabler

kathleen stabler

alex cabot

casey novak

LOST GIRL:

BO DENNIS

LUCIFER:

CHLOE DECKER

lucifer morningstar

mazikeen

MINDHUNTER:

Holden Ford

POSE:

ANGEL EVANGALISTA

BLANCA EVANGALISTA

PRODIGAL SON:

MALCOLM BRIGHT

RIVERDALE:

ARCHIE ANDREWS

BETTY COOPER

TONI TOPAZ

CHERYL BLOSSOM

FP Jones

JUGHEAD JONES

ROSWELL NEW MEXICO:

MAX EVANS

LIZ ORTECHO

STRANGER THINGS:

NANCY WHEELER

BILLY HARGROVE (BILLY’S TATTOOS POST SEASON THREE HERE )

STATION 19:

Vic Hughes

SUPERNATURAL:

Dean Winchester

THE MAGICIANS:

ELIOT WAUGH

MARGO HANSON

THE WITCHER (GAME, TV SHOW, AND BOOK MIXED MEDIA):

GERALT (please note, geralt has cat-eyes. not the eyes we see in the show. if you need a visual, think game geralt)

CIRI

TRUE BLOOD:

SOOKIE STACKHOUSE

TARA THORTON

jessica hamby

JASON STACKHOUSE

SAM MERLOTTE

WYNONNA EARP:

WYNONNA EARP

WAVERLY EARP

NICOLE HAUGHT

THE UMBRELLA ACADEMY:

KLAUS HARGREEVES

ALLISON HARGREEVES

VAN HELSING:

Vanessa Van Helsing

YOU:

BECK

JOE GOLDBERG

LOVE QUINN

THEO

FORTY QUINN

DCU:

WONDER WOMAN/DIANA PRINCE

HARLEY QUINN (au verse 1 here)

DESCENDANTS:

HARRY HOOK

MAL BERTHA

EVIE GRIMHILDE

MCU:

DEADPOOL/WADE WILSON

EDDIE BROCK/VENOM

STEVE ROGERS/CAPTAIN AMERICA

WANDA MAXIMOFF

BUCKY BARNES

NATASHA ROMANOFF

YELENA BELOVA

THOR

LOKI

MICHAEL MORBIUS

Peter Parker (the amazing spiderman)

POTC:

CAPTAIN JACK SPARROW

ASSASSIN’S CREED SERIES:

JACOB FRYE

EVIE FRYE

EIVOR

KASSANDRA

DETRIOT BECOME HUMAN:

Connor

DRAGON AGE:

MORRIGAN

FENRIS

GARRETT HAWKE

MARIAN HAWKE

CYBERPUNK:

V (both male and v, both streetkid and corpo)

JOHNNY SILVERHAND

JUDY ALVAREZ

LAST OF US:

joel miller

ELLIE

LEGEND OF ZELDA:

LINK

RESIDENT EVIL:

ADA WONG

LEON KENNEDY (previously traumamade)

ETHAN WINTERS

LADY DIMITRESCU

Claire Redfield

dimitrescu daughters

TOMB RAIDER:

LARA CROFT

UNCHARTED:

NATHAN DRAKE

BLEACH:

ichigo kurosaki

GRIMMJOW JAEGERJAQUEZ

VAMPYR:

JOHNATHAN REID

BLACK BUTLER:

SEBASTIAN MICHAELIS

BLUE EXORCIST

RIN OKAMARU

HELLSING:

SERAS VICTORIA

INTEGRA HELLSING

NARUTO:

NARUTO UZUMAKI

TSUNADE

SEVEN DEADLY SINS:

BAN

VAMPIRE KNIGHT:

yuuki cross/kuran

ZERO KIYRUU

OUAT:

Regina Mills

Emma Swan

SOA:

JAX TELLER

VENUS

GEMMA TELLER

WHITE COLLAR:

Neal Caffrey

FAR CRY:

FAITH SEED

NEW AMSTERDAM:

MAX GOODWIN

CRUELLA:

CRUELLA DE VILLE

MASS EFFECT:

JOHN SHEPARD

JANE SHEPARD

KAIDAN

SAMARA

KASUMI

MIRANDA

DOCTOR WHO:

rose tyler

GOSSIP GIRL REBOOT:

ZOYA LOTT

MAX WOLFE

DOOM PATROL:

JANE

LARRY TRAINOR

A WAY OUT:

LEO CARUSO

CASTLE:

RICHARD CASTLE

BITTEN:

ELENA MICHAELS

TEEN WOLF:

CHRIS ARGENT

ALLISON ARGENT

SCOTT MCCALL

LYDIA MARTIN

STILES STILINSKI

THE FLASH:

BARRY ALLEN

NORA WEST ALLEN

BART WEST ALLEN

IRIS WEST

CAITLYN SNOW

KILLER FROST

SUCKERPUNCH

BABY DOLL

SHADOW HUNTERS

ISABELLE

ALEC

HOUSE OF ASHES

JASON

THE MEDIUM

MARIANNE

THE LAST KINGDOM

UHTRED RAGNARSON

Iseult

MOON KNIGHT

STEVEN GRANT/MARC

FIRST KILL

Calliope Burns

Juliette Fairmont.

THE QUARRY

Kaityln Ka

Dylan Lenivy

Laura Kearny

THE SANDMAN

Dream/Morpheus

INTEVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE

Louis De Pointe

Claudia

HORIZON SERIES

Aloy

THE VAMPIRE ACADEMY (TV SERIES)

Rose Hathaway

NETFLIX’S WEDNESDAY

Wednesday Addams

Morticia Addams

Enid Sincliar

DAYS GONE

Deacon St. John

QUEEN CHARLOTTE - A BRIDGERTON STORY

Queen Charlotte

MAYFAIR WITCHES

Rowan Fielding

Critical Role (currently caught up to episode 97 and both seasons of the animated show)

Vax

Vex

Keylith

THE EVIL WITHIN

Sebastian

Baldur's Gate 3:

Astarion

Karlach

Orin

Hazbin Hotel:

Angel Dust

Charlie Morningstar

Niffty

Alastor

Outlander:

Claire Fraser

#mobile muse list

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thereturnofsidsid03 · 1 year ago

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My Favourite Books ❤︎

In a growny-uppy way, so no Percy Jackson, John Green, Harry Potter, Mortal Instruments, Anna and the French Kiss, Hunger Games, Divergent, Goosebumps, The Clique etc.

The Girls by Emma Cline

"Emma Cline’s first novel, “The Girls” (Random House), is a song of innocence and experience—in ways that she has intended, and perhaps in ways that she has not. It’s a story of corruption and abuse, set in 1969, in which a bored and groundless California teen-ager joins a Manson-like cult, with bloody, Manson-like results."- James Wood for The New Yorker

I'm With the Band by Pamela Des Barres

"The stylish, exuberant, and remarkably sweet confession of one of the most famous groupies of the 1960s and 70s... Warm, witty, and sexy, this kiss-and-tell-all stands out as the perfect chronicle of one of rock 'n' roll's most thrilling eras."- Booktopia

Valley of the Dolls by Jacqueline Susann

"Valley of the Dolls is a zipper-ripper that has been called trashy, tawdry, glitzy, lusty, sordid and seamy — and that's just the beginning of its appeal. Susann was accused of "typing on a cash register," and Truman Capote called her "a truck driver in drag." She threw a drink at Johnny Carson, a punch at a critic and a chair at a wrestler, before jumping into the ring. All of it sold books."- Nancy Bachrach for NPR

Everything I Know About Love by Dolly Alderton

"Glittering with wit and insight, heart and humor, Dolly Alderton’s unforgettable debut weaves together personal stories, satirical observations, a series of lists, recipes, and other vignettes that will strike a chord of recognition with women of every age—making you want to pick up the phone and tell your best friends all about it." - Goodreads

Black Swans by Eve Babitz

"She may be self-absorbed and occasionally insensitive, but to a certain extent, she is aware of her failings and brave enough to expose them to her reader wholesale along with her effervescent party commentary... Reading Eve Babitz is like eating cake for breakfast, like having a gossip over brunch with your best friend. Her short stories consider the pros and cons of black lacquered swimming pools, and let us peer into the dining room of the Bel Air Hotel where Babitz — tripping on LSD — and her boyfriend are so drunk they can barely stay in their seats. "- Lauren Sazaren for Los Angeles Review of Books

Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid

"Malibu Rising is a bloody great book. The kind of book you'll wish you could go back in time and experience for the first time all over again. It's got all the elements of a crackin' good novel - a page-turning plot, fully fleshed out, flawed, relatable characters, GOSSIP AND DRAMA, and little lessons you'll take with you long after you've read the final page." - Keryn Donnelly for Mamamia

Slow Days, Fast Company by Eve Babitz

"Imagine the incisive wit of Virginia Woolf mingling with the listlessness of Françoise Sagan—this is the work of Eve Babitz, an ingenue and poet. Her lyrical sensuality is both sexy and cerebral…this book sizzles with hedonistic abandon, sex, drugs, and rock’n’roll…it is the clarity of her language and her painterly style that cement her place in the pantheon of American literature." -Sarah Nasar, British Airways High Life Magazine

I am certain that there is many I have forgotten but these are The Unforgettables.

#eve babitz #taylor jenkins reid #malibu rising #slow days fast company #black swans #dolly alderton #everything i know about love #valley of the dolls #jacqueline susann #pamela des barres #i'm with the band #the girls #emma cline #books #memoir

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hcrexcellency · 1 year ago

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☼☾ ( jeanine mason, 30 , she/her , cis woman , de la rosa 5 ) - have you seen MARIA DE LA ROSA? we’ve heard through the grapevine that they’re DAUNTLESS but also TEMPESTUOUS. when you think of them , you think of A SHIP SAILING IN A SEA OF FOG, SMEARED PAINT ON CANVAS, HANDS COVERED IN GOLD RINGS.

Basics:

Name: Maria De La Rosa Title: Princess of Sicily Age: 30 Birthday: January 25th (Aquarius) Sexuality: Heterosexual Marital Status: Betrothed Positive Traits: Brave, tactical, creative, loyal, decisive Negative Traits: Violent, short-tempered, bold, cunning, vengeful. Hobbies: Painting, sailing, fishing, swimming Family: Vero De La Rosa (father), Diego De La Rosa (father), Felix De La Rosa (brother), Mechai De Medici (sibling-in-law).

The Story: (tw; murder, blood, drowning, fire, nightmares)

On board a ship that was so valiantly named The Serpent's Blood, a pirate captain and his appointed queen fell madly in love after killing her terrible husband. They abandoned her village life permanently for the high seas and birthed a daughter. Until the age of 5 years old, she was loved for and cared for by her parents, watching them pillage and plunder from below deck, watching her mother clean off her bloody sword. But life with this family went as soon as it came, for a raid by a mystery navy crew ended the lives of her parents and their entire crew, leaving the child as its only survivor. The poor girl washed up on the shores of Sicily, found by its kings and taken into their family. She had no memory of her previous life, no recollection of the raid. She was speechless, completely in shock. The kings named her "Maria", for she came from the sea and was given to them as a beloved gift. She grew up loved, learning to sail the moment she regained her voice. Though rebellious in nature and defiant by desire, she was a difficult, yet devoted child. Having younger siblings, as she grew older, only made it easier for her to sprinkle her bad influence all over them, taking them out to bars, going out with sailors, and learning their pirate heritage from the pirates themselves. One of those outings with the sailors lead Maria to a pirate captain's son. While contentious at first, their relationship grew from constant bickering to sailing a ship together and falling madly in love with one another on the high seas. They kept their affair a secret from her family, for fear that they wouldn't approve due to her being a princess and he a mere pirate. Whilst sailing together on a blissful evening, a navy ship arrived, arresting her lover for crimes of piracy and imprisoning him in the Caribbean. Maria was able to escape, but in doing so, she lost the love of her life, wondering if she were to ever see him again. She'd written diplomatic letters in hopes that he would be released to her as a personal bodyguard, but alas, there was no word in return. She was left to believe that he was dead, and so Maria relented and agreed to journey with her family to France to give up her fantasy romance on the high seas. However... Ever since that night, when love slipped through her fingers, Maria has been having the same nightmares. She believed, at first, that they were visions of the raid, but it was more than that. She seemed to be hiding below deck of a ship she did not recognize, blood, fire, and smoke surrounding her. Could it be those missing years from her childhood? Could there be something connecting her now to her birth parents? Now that there was little hope of her love surviving, she could bury her broken heart in research, attempting to discover who she is and where she really came from.

Similar Characters: Wednesday Addams (Wednesday), Imelda Rivera (Coco), Emma Swan (Once Upon a Time), Angelica (Pirates of the Carribbean), Anastasia (Anastasia)

Established Connections:

The De La Rosa Family. The Pirates-Turned-Royals are the toughest of the other royals families that reside in Versailles, though they tend to come off the most awkward at most royal function, particularly when it comes to horseback riding. Her Papí, Diego, is the easiest for people to approach, and Maria turns to him in vulnerable times where she needs reassurance and comfort. One could look to her Papá, Vero, and see exactly where her stoic and rigid personality came from, and therefore he is often the only one she'll listen to. Felix, her brother, is quite the opposite from her, yet she would protect them with her life, along with her sibling-in-law, Mechai.

Jakob Hölm. Fiancé. What she needed more than forgiveness was redemption, a chance to make up for the years at sea, abandoning her royal life for constant voyages. Choosing Jakob as her betrothed, which would make him the future King of Sicily, was the only thing she felt she could do; give the people a king they deserve. She finds him kind, easy to talk to, and comforting, and the fact that she wants to be near him is entirely confusing to her.

WC'S

FIRST MATE. A lady in waiting who is really the first mate of her crew. She was the only one whom she brought along to France to provide her some sense of sanity.

#muse ; 𝕄𝕒𝕣𝕚𝕒 𝔻𝕖 𝕃𝕒 ℝ𝕠𝕤𝕒 #francehq.intro

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thatpinkjacket · 4 years ago

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AU where Rumple de-ages Neal after meeting him in Manhattan (2x14)

Ok so I wrote this wayy back in 2013, shortly after Manhattan (2x14) aired. I never posted it, but I found this draft while looking for sfweek2020 inspiration, figured it kind of fit the Teen Swanfire prompt, and here we are. In the episode, Rumple offers to de-age Neal back to when he was 14. Naturally, since he's already met Henry and all, Neal refuses. Here, Rumple doesn't wait for him to refuse and does it anyway:

Emma sat by the yellow bug, waiting for the bell to ring.

Any minute now, she thought.

As if on cue, the bell rang, and with it came the bustle of students walking out of the building. She craned her head, watching out for her son's familiar mop of brown hair. She didn’t normally have to pick him up from school, but today she’d made an exception. The kid had gone through a lot this week, far more than any eleven-year-old should have to deal with.

He walked out of the school faster than most of his classmates, looking visibly upset. Emma sighed. There would be a lot of talking, (or not talking, depending on how everything went) later in the apartment.

As Henry walked toward the car, she caught sight of a familiar boy behind him. Perhaps sensing her gaze, he looked up.

Neal.

It was him. Younger – much younger – with features more rounded than the angular she spent the better part of ten years trying to forget, but definitely him. She could never mistake those eyes.

Those eyes that once glimmered with the promise of adventure – of home. Those eyes just like Henry’s. Their son.

He was looking at her. Did he remember something, somehow? They stared at each other, green to hazel, transfixed. After what seemed like an eternity, she tore her eyes away from him and got into the car.

They drove off in silence.

#swanfire #sfweek2020 #ouat #neal cassidy #emma swan #de-aged!Neal #my ficlets

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diannaphantomfiction · 2 years ago

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Current Projects

If anyone wants to talk about any of these projects, feel free to shoot me an ask or DM! I’d love to talk with you all!

Writing Projects:

Trials of an Imperial Princess: Star Wars: De-aging AU: In Progress

The interaction between a Sith Temple and a Jedi temple can lead to...strange things happening. When the energy from the exploding Sith temple on Malachor interacts with the portal opening from the in-between place, Ahsoka is returned to being 17, with no memories of having left the Jedi Order or the past 16 years.

And this time, Darth Vader isn't going to let his daughter go.

Karivarry Life Swap AU: CW Verse (Flash, Arrow, Supergirl): On Hiatus

In another world Barry Allen is a Kryptonian, Oliver Queen is the Flash, and Kara Danvers-Grant is the Arrow. These are their adventures.

A series of connected One Shots in no particular order. On hiatus until I figure out how to write a first date scene I don’t hate.

Cerulean Wing: Miraculous Ladybug: Kwami Swap AU: On Hiatus

Marinette might not have been chosen to be Ladybug, but that doesn't mean she doesn't have the potential to be a great holder. Gabriel Agreste sees this potential and decides that perhaps it is time to pass the Peacock Miraculous onto a new Holder. With Ladybug and Chat Noir behind her, Marinette becomes Paris's newest superhero, Cerulean Wing.

On Hiatus until I figure out how to make it work with the current cannon, because some of the current storylines are to juicy to not use. May need to be rewritten.

Cosplay:

Mostly on TikTok, These are the character I’m working on, improving, and/or making videos of.

May “Mayday” Parker AKA Spider-Girl: Marvel Comics: Cosplay Complete

Lynn Snart AKA Captain Cold: DC CW Verse: Gender Swap: In Progress

Luke Skywalker: Star Wars: Gender Swap: In Progress.

Coraline Jones: Coraline: Needs Improvements

Charlie Bradbury: Supernatural: Need Improvements

Emma Swan: Once Upon a Time: Cosplay Complete

Other Projects;

Full Power Rangers Watch Through (All Shows and Movies): On TikTok: In Progress

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captcas · 3 years ago

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Something to Hold Onto by captcas

Emma Swan has always had two superpowers. First, she can always tell when you’re lying. Second, she can retreat into the magical storybook she was found with to visit her fictional friend, Killian Jones. When Emma gives the book up, she wonders if she’ll ever see Killian again. read on ao3

Phoenix, AZ; November, 2000

Pregnant?

Emma slides down the tile wall of the Shell bathroom. Usually she’d do everything in her power to avoid touching anything in a gas station restroom. Right now she can’t find it in herself to care about the amount of infectious diseases she’s being exposed to, her eyes fixed on the two pink lines that just threatened to change her entire life.

Threatened? More like promised.

She jumps when she hears a knock on the door, “Ems? You ok?”

It isn’t until she wipes the tears from her cheeks that she realizes she’s started to cry. Neal knocks again, “Ems! You good?”

Clearing her throat, she musters up the will to answer, “Yeah, uh, just a minute.”

She scrambles for her backpack, desperate for an escape she’s not entirely confident will be there.

It’s been too long.

When her fingers touch the cool leather of the mysterious book that has somehow woven its way into every important moment in her life, a sense of calm overwhelms her. She knows that avoiding her problem isn’t going to change anything, but right now, she couldn't care less. As she settles in her lap, the positive pregnancy test laying the floor in her periphery, she thinks back to the first time it allowed her to escape.

Des Moines, IA; 1989

Emma hears footsteps coming from down the hall and quickly pulls her blanket over her head. She hates the way it makes it hard to breathe but she also fears what’ll happen to her if she gets caught up past curfew again. She holds her breath as the door creaks open and doesn’t move again until the door shuts and the footsteps walk away. Coming out from under the covers, she takes a deep breath of fresh air. Once she’s sure no one else in her bunk is awake, Emma pulls the thick, leather book out from underneath her bed. This book is one of the only things her parents left her; a book, a blanket, and a name. Ever since she could read, and even before, if her foster parents were kind enough, she’s poured into these stories– escaping reality for ogres, pirates, princesses, and true love. If she didn’t know better, she’d swear the stories almost seem ever changing and expanding. She never has to choose what to read, the book opening and picking a story for her– although she finds herself partial to the updates of the young Snow White.

Tonight she opens to a brand new story titled “The Brothers Jones”. She’s never heard of this fairytale, but that’s how most of these stories start out until they twist and turn into well-known characters from movies that the other kids watch to pass time. It seems rather short, but Emma doesn’t mind, especially seeing as it’s way past her dictated bedtime. She hunkers down into her pillow and begins…

Once upon a time there were two brothers. Liam, the eldest, was outgoing and mature, helping their parents around the house and picking up odd jobs around town to help with trips to the market. Killian, on the other hand, was quiet and kind. He often found himself staying home to take care of their mother. At ten years of age he was too young to get a real job, so their father, Brennan, and Liam took care of earning money in hopes to keep their mother alive.

One night, Killian’s mother took a turn for the worse, her breathing slowing until it stopped. The family gathered around, comforting one another over the loss of Alice.

The following days seemed like a blur for the family, preparations for her funeral taking up most of their time. When the day finally came, the Jones boys were distraught. Her burial became too much for young Killian so he took off to the one place which could calm his worries, Brennan and Liam calling after him as he ran. Liam wanted to go after his younger brother but Brennan stopped him, urging him to give Killian some space.

Emma pauses for a second, shining her flashlight over the picture of the two boys which accompanies the start of the story. Her finger traces over the face of the younger one, she thinks to herself that she wishes she could meet this Killian. She glances a moment longer and turns back to the story…

Killian ends up by the docks, his legs moving on their own accord. He finds an empty slip and decides to sit on the end of the pier, crying over the loss of his mother.

Emma suddenly feels as though she’s drifting to sleep. The words seem to be floating off the page and wrapping themselves around her. When a flash of light surrounds her, Emma is sure she’s dreaming. She shuts her eyes in fear, unsure of where this dream is taking her.

Suddenly, her bare feet hit cold ground. She shivers, still too scared to open her eyes, her hands acting as a makeshift blindfold. She hears what sounds like a seagull and smells what she can only imagine is the sea. It’s a comforting quiet disrupted by the soft sound of someone crying. In a quick bout of bravery, the young girl opens one eye. Gasping, she removes her other hand from her face and her eyes grow wide. Sitting in front of her is Killian Jones, the boy from the storybook. She hesitates, but slowly walks towards him. She now knows he’s the source of the quiet sniffling and pauses, unsure she should bother him. Before she can turn around and explore more of her dreamworld, Killian looks over his shoulder and wipes his runny nose on his hand. He looks at her intently, and Emma is drawn to the deep blue of his eyes which seem to shine brighter through his tears. His eyebrows curve in confusion and he speaks, “Who are you?”

His voice is the most beautiful thing Emma has ever heard. His accent is unlike anything she’s heard before, but it’s melodic and reminds her of her favorite song. She hesitates to respond, but somehow feels comforted by his presence. “I’m… I’m Emma. Are you… Killian?”

His eyebrows shoot to his hairline but he gives her a soft smile, “Yes, miss. I’m sorry I don’t recognize you, I’ve never seen you here before.” He scratches behind his ear as she struggles to explain where she came from.

She’s sure she can say anything, she’ll wake up in the morning and Killian Jones will remain the figment of imagination he is, so she’s honest. “Oh! I’m not from here. I’m from Iowa! Well, at least I’m from Iowa right now…”

“Iowa?” Killian questions her once again. “I’ve never heard of such a place. I don’t get to travel much. Is it close to here?”

Emma decides to sit down next to him, both of their legs swinging over the dark water. “I think I’m pretty far from home. One minute I was reading in my bed and the next I was standing behind you.” Emma flinches at her own honesty but reminds herself it can do no harm. She’s finding peace in this dreamworld, she almost feels as though she has a friend.

“Well, Emma, I don’t know how you’re here but I’m afraid you’ve caught me at a bad moment.” He hangs his head, fiddling with a hangnail on his left hand.

“Your mother…” Emma says it in barely a whisper but Killian hears it all the same. She clasps her hands over her mouth.

“How did you––” He looks afraid of her and she hates it.

“Killian, I––,” She reminds herself again he’s just a dream, “The book I was reading… you were–– are a character in it. That’s how I knew your name, and about your mom. I also know about your brother, Li––”

“Killian? Is that you? Killian!” Emma is cut off by who she can only assume is Liam looking for his little brother. She scoots a bit away from him and hides her face in embarrassment while he turns to talk to his brother. Confusion was etched across Killian’s face before they were interrupted.

“Aye, Liam. It’s me. I’m sorry for running, it’s just… mother… she––” Killian is practically toppled over by a hug from Liam.

“I understand, Killian.” Liam looks as though he’s been crying but smiles and rubs his brother’s head. “I’m just glad you’re safe.” It’s then that he notices Emma. “Brother, who is this?”

Killian’s neck heats up with blush and Emma has to suppress a giggle. “Liam, this is Emma of Iowa.”

Emma chuckles loudly this time and Liam looks a bit confused but brushes it off quickly, “Ah, hello Emma. I hope my little brother hasn’t burdened you with our troubles too much. Where is your family?”

Killian mumbles something that sounds like “younger brother” and Liam smirks slightly. She supposes it’s something between siblings and ignores the ache for a family that lives deep in her soul. Emma snaps out of her melancholy to answer, “Oh, um, they’re at home.” She shoots a look at Killian, urging him to help her keep her secret. She once again is warring with the part of her brain which says none of this is real but shoves it down in light of Liam’s stare. “I should be going.”

Killian looks like he’s about to say something when Liam speaks, “Ah, yes, well we should be getting back to our parents as well.” Liam’s voice cracks at the word parents, but he continues his strong facade in front of his brother. “Ready, Killian?”

“Aye, I’m right behind you, brother.” Liam hesitates but turns away to leave Emma and Killian to say goodbye.

Emma speaks first, “I’m so sorry about your mother, Killian.” She looks down at her hands, she’s never had parents, but she can imagine watching one die is not easy.

“It’s ok, Emma. Liam and I will manage.” Emma can tell he’s being brave for her but she lets him continue. “You go home now, I’m sure your parents are worried.”

“I don’t have parents, I’m an orphan.” It bursts out of her before she can stop herself, her innate need to be honest with Killian taking over. She’s scowling now, ready to spit back any pity he throws her way, but when she looks up, all she sees is understanding. He nods at her.

“Will I see you again, Emma? Friends are all too rare in my life.” She smiles softly, happy to have made a friend herself.

“I hope so, Killian.” They smile at one another and she hears Liam call him from a distance. Killian nods once more and runs to his brother, glancing back over his shoulder one last time. Emma smiles, and watches him fade from sight.

As quickly as Emma landed in this world, she is back in her bed. The book sits open on her side table. She grabs it, hoping to see more of Killian’s story to add fuel for the rest of the night’s dreams. Emma is shocked at what she sees. Side by side are the text of her encounter with Killian, and a perfect sketch of the two of them sitting on the edge of the pier. Emma expects to be scared, but instead she’s comforted by the drawing of her and her new friend. She closes her book, and places it in it’s hiding spot, easily drifting off to sleep with memories of ocean air and the sound of Killian’s voice.

Phoenix, AZ; November, 2000

She hasn’t visited him since Ingrid— it’s not fair that she uses him like this, but she needs him.

And he promised. They promised.

With a deep breath, she opens the book and thinks of her friend as the warm light surrounds her and takes her away...

Sea air fills her lungs as she finds her footing– the breeze a sure sign she’s landed wherever Killian finds himself these days. She orients herself by finding the water and spots a ship coming into land– Emma would know that ship anywhere. While she can tell it’s the Jewel, the vessel’s usually regal presence seems tarnished somehow. As it nears the shoreline, she sees Killian at the helm. A smile spreads across her face before she can stop it– he always looked so at home on the water. As he nears the beach, Emma senses something different about her old friend. He’s older, each of them learning long ago moves differently in their separate worlds– almost as they need it to rather than on any set timeline– but she can’t shake the feeling there’s more to it than age.

Killian directs the crew effortlessly, not a single soul arguing with him. The ship hits land and Killian gazes over the side long enough for Emma to notice the heavy space beside him. Something’s missing– someone’s missing. It dawns on her as the ramp hits the sand… Liam.

Killian walks off the ship with a swagger she doesn’t recognize– a false confidence she’s positive only she would recognize as a front. Second guessing her decision– maybe she’d stayed away far too long– Emma reaches for the leather book. Selfishly, she takes one more look at her friend, or the man which used to be. He scans the beach with a stoic look that only falls away when he meets her gaze. A smile breaks out across her face as he runs towards her. She lets go of the book, anxious to learn more about where she is and what Kilian’s been up to. He barely says hello before she's wrapped in his arms choking up at the pure innocence of his laugh when he picks her up and twirls her around.

“Emma Swan!” Killian puts her down, swiping a soft curl from her cheek, “It’s been so long, love.”

Emma can’t speak, she’s changed since they last met, but not like him. Studying him, she releases him from her grasp and her hands trail down his arm, hesitating when her left one hits something foreign. Killian flinches and tucks it under his jacket. She’s still unable to put a finger on what’s different, but her old friend, always sure and steadfast, seems… lost. She can’t help but speak candidly, “Killian, where is Liam?”

He smirks, a mask unfamiliar to her aside from her brief glimpse of him exiting the ship, “Ah, yes, ‘fraid my brother was lost to the sea.” He gazes off before seemingly being startled into remembering her existence, “Emma! You can’t be here, it’s dangerous.”

Emma looks around for the first time since she arrived and realizes this place is unlike any portside town she’d landed in previously. “Where exactly is… here?”

If she didn’t know better– Killian Jones is not afraid of anything– she would’ve sworn she saw fear flicker across his eyes, “Best you not know. Why are you here? Is everything alright?”

His genuine concern reminds her of the pregnancy test she left in the Shell bathroom. Never one to mince words and never sure how long they truly have, Emma breaks the news abruptly, “Killian, I’m pregnant.”

Now she knows its fear– coupled with a brief flash of sadness that she doesn’t have the energy to dissect– that crosses his gaze, “Emma, ho–”

She cuts him off, she doesn’t want to answer the questions, doesn’t want to disappoint him, “It doesn’t matter. I will be ok, I just… needed to see you.”

He nods before turning to a small man in a red beanie who has hovered close by but out of earshot for the entirety of their conversation. “Smee, it will be dark soon. Gather supplies and take the crew aboard. I will return shortly.” The man nods before yelling a feeble attempt to wrangle up the rest of the crew while Killian leads Emma closer to the water’s edge. She knows there’s more to everything happening here than he’s letting on, but she also knows that if he’s not telling her, it’s with reason.

They find a small alcove, hidden from the ship, and Killian takes her in his arms swaying slowly. She can’t help but giggle, “Killian, what are you doing?”

“Just, I know you probably don’t have long, but please– before you go, just– one dance.” She nods, this tradition is one she should’ve seen coming. They danced the first time when Emma was nervous for her first homecoming dance– he taught her how to slow dance. Her next trip was to tell him she’d moved again and never gotten to go to the dance after all– so they swayed once more... that was the last time she’d visited.

As they settle into a comfortable stance, Emma feels something cold hit the small strip of skin exposed at her back. Logically she knows it should be his left hand, but the chill feels metallic. She stops herself from flinching, not at what must be a prosthetic, but at the temperature of the metal. Meeting his gaze, she can tell her lack of response comforts him briefly before the exhaustion and fear returns to his features. He forces a smile before pulling her closer— clearly, he doesn’t want to be here anymore than she wants to be home, so she dances. Killian hums quietly, a melody she’s heard many times before and often sings to herself when she needs the comfort of her friend. They don’t speak at first, the soft sound of his hum and the distant white noise of waves hitting the sand more than enough to fill the air around them.

Emma feels another wave of fear fall over her and breaks the silence, “I don’t really know how, Killian.”

He leans in closer, “It’s easy. Pick a partner who knows what he’s doing.” He winks at her and they feel like children again— twirling in fields of flowers and playing along the shoreline. For a moment, she forgets the monumental changes waiting for her at home and just tries to be happy. Killian spins her around, dipping her, and making her laugh like she hasn’t in what feels like her entire life. He slows and begins to hum a different shanty she doesn’t recognize but causes her to sway back and forth all the same. She has to stop herself from jumping when he speaks again, “I know you’re scared, Swan, but you can do this.”

Emma doesn’t tell him that she knows she can’t, that she knows Neal can’t– or that he won’t. Instead, she just savors the moment with her best friend.

Whether he’s real or fiction or an impossible dream stopped mattering long ago— Killian is always here, a constant in her inconsistent life, and that’s worth everything to Emma. She gazes into his eyes, as easy to lose herself in as the ocean, and he looks back. They’re practically nose to nose and Emma can see every scratch, bruise, and line of exhaustion that covers his face.

He’s still one of the most beautiful humans she’s ever seen.

Maybe it’s that realization that causes her to lean in ever so slightly. His eyebrow raises quickly before mimicking her movement. They have history, it’s patchy and incomplete, but it’s theirs and no matter what Emma always finds herself back in this fantasy’s arms.

He’s fiction, always has been, but he’s been an escape all the same. Emma doesn't second guess her decision to kiss him– no harm, no foul when this is all a dream anyway…

But it never comes.

Their moment is disrupted by a loud cawing noise. It almost sounds like a bird, but the way he flinches and the stoic fear that settles across Killian’s face hints that, whatever made that noise, is not to be messed with. His back stiffens beneath her hands before he moves in front of Emma. Using his left hand– no, hook– he pushes aside the tree blocking their view, “I’m sorry, Swan. You need to go. Now.” He turns back to her frantically, and with fear in his eyes growing, she has no choice but to believe him.

Her heart is beating loud enough that she's positive he can hear it too and she’s not sure if it’s the imminent danger or the fact she almost kissed him.

He’s not real, Emma.

Still, the look in his eyes fools her into playing along once again, rushing back towards his ship as darkness falls like a blanket across the beach. Emma stops him, selfishly pulling him behind a bush for just one more moment alone. “When will I see you again?” She isn’t sure why she’s asking when it’s always been up to her.

He smiles at her before pulling her tight, “Just hold onto this— to us and our parallel existences.” His right hand cups her cheek and she takes a moment to find comfort in his warmth, “You’re one of the only reasons I’m alive, Emma Swan. Let me be your something, as you are mine.”

Emma can feel herself crying now, the reality she’s returning to feeling scarier than whatever has Killian rushing her home, but he’s counting on her to survive, so she will. “I’ll see you soon, Killian.”

He smiles at her one more time, bright and hopeful, “Aye, Swan. I’ll be waiting.”

With that, she feels the warmth bubble inside of her as the light surrounds her once again and takes her back. In no time at all she’s sitting again on the dingy tile floor of a gas station in Phoenix. She holds the book close once more before putting it back in her bag. She sighs, remembering Killian’s faith in her, as she grabs the pregnancy test and goes to break the news to Neal.

As she leaves the bathroom, she’s startled by two officers with their guns drawn. As she’s told to raise her hands up, the lifted watch Neal gave her for her birthday catches the harsh fluorescent light and the positive test falls from her hand clattering against the linoleum at her feet.

Phoenix, AZ; August, 2001

“Emma, are you sure?” The doctor questions her as he wraps her crying son in a towel.

She refuses to look, the tears and sweat stinging her eyes. Emma knows if she holds the small boy, she won’t be able to give him up. The doctor turns away, placing the small boy into a bassinet behind him and Emma feels a weight lifted from her. Being given up herself, Emma swore she’d never put a child in that position, but she also never thought she’d be giving birth in prison.

The recollection of her own upbringing sparks something inside of her, “Wait!” The doctor turns around, something like hope in his eyes. Emma knows he thinks she’s changed her mind, but in reality, her decision has only been further solidified by her choice not to send him off alone. “There’s a book. In my personal belongings. It’s leatherbound and full of fairy tales– please, send it with him.”

The doctor looks at the guard who nods before sending their partner to retrieve the storybook. She’ll feel safer knowing even a piece of her— and a larger piece of Killian– will be with her son no matter where he ends up. The book made her feel like her parents at least cared enough not to send her off alone, and she hopes it provides the same comfort for her son.

It can be his something to hold onto.

Slight melancholy aches through her at the realization she’s given up her right to visit Killian ever again. She thinks he’d understand– support her even. Still, Emma smiles softly as the book is placed next to the hospital crib before drifting off where memories of distant lands keep her fast asleep.

Boston, MA; October, 2011

“Another banner year.” Emma blows out the blue star candle, and makes the simplest of birthday wishes. As she begins to unwrap the cupcake there’s a knock at the door. Startled, but curious, she opens it to a young boy looking at her like she’s standing on her head.

“Can I help you?” Emma’s had a long night, and while she could really go for some girl scout cookies, she doubts the small boy outside her door at 8pm is here to sell her any.

“Are you Emma Swan?” He tilts his head as he asks, a simple movement that Emma almost finds endearing.

“Yeah. Who are you?” She’s trying not to be impatient, but she really needs to take a shower and wash off the scum from her skip earlier that evening.

“My name is Henry. I’m your son.”

Well she wasn’t expecting that .

Storybrook, ME; 2011

Henry’s adoptive mother is– something. Regina Mills is not who Emma expected when she spent late nights picturing Henry with a family, but he has a roof over his head and everything he could ever want. And the town, Storybrook, is quaint and safe. Henry seems healthy.

What more could she have wanted for her son?

Maybe to not have the gut feeling that something— no everything — is off in this town.

Regina (aggressively) asked her to leave after dropping Henry off, but she can’t find it in herself to head back to Boston just yet. She wanders into a small diner that touts an attached inn, and the warm atmosphere is beyond inviting. Against all previous plans, she settles herself onto a stool at the bar and orders herself some hot chocolate. As she sips her drink, she takes in the rest of the diner only to realize almost everyone is looking at her. Almost. There’s a dark haired man with his back to her sitting in one of the booths. Emma finds herself fixated on him, and the fact that, unlike everyone else in the diner, he couldn’t seem to care less that she’s here.

A waitress in a short red skirt drops off soup at his table before making her way back towards Emma. “Hey, new girl. You want some food?” Startled by her forwardness, Emma responds with a stutter, “I– uh– no– I’m not– uh.. Why is everyone staring at me?”

The girl– Ruby if her name tag is anything to go by– belly laughs before answering, “Girl, we haven’t had visitors to this town in ages .” Emma isn’t sure how to take that but Ruby doesn’t seem to mind as she keeps talking, “I mean, now that I think about it, I don’t think I’ve ever had a visitor in this diner. Strictly regulars. That’s why they’re staring, hun. Not to mention, you’re pretty easy on the eyes.” She shrugs her shoulder in Emma’s direction and winks with a wolf’s smile.

She’s spunky and Emma likes her, “Well, I’m happy to be your first. Do you have any rooms?”

Ruby scoffs again, “All of them– no visitors remember? Except room 9, Sailor Boy over there has taken up permanent residence in that one.” The waitress motions towards the man in the back booth before flagging down an older woman asking for a room key.

Emma glances again at the dark haired stranger, wanting to know more, but having no real reason to strike up a conversation. Before she can approach him, she’s being handed a key and ushered up the stairs to her room by a pushy old lady that everyone seems to affectionately call Granny. She settles in for the night, her curiosity about the town and its residents only growing the longer she stays.

When she wakes up, it’s to Henry knocking on her door again. She opens to find him practically vibrating, “You stayed?!”

She can’t help but smile at his excitement, finding it hard to tamper her own, “Yeah, kid, I did. Don’t you have school or something?”

Henry smiles, “Not for another hour, wanna grab some breakfast?”

Emma nods and follows her son– not sure she’ll ever get used to that– down the stairs to grab some breakfast from the diner. They order from the counter when all the booths are full, but decide to move when one opens as their food is ready. Emma thanks Ruby, grabbing their plates of waffles, before turning towards the booth just as someone walks behind her. The plates crash to the ground, both her and the man she bumped into bending down to help with clean up. “Oh my god, I’m so sorry.”

“My fault, lass. I wasn’t watching where I was going.”

Emma knows that voice– would know it anywhere.

When she doesn’t answer, he looks up at her, concern etched across the animated eyebrows she’s known for almost her entire life. If she wasn’t positive before, she is now, the blue eyes that haunted her dreams for years after giving up the book are staring directly back at her. “Killian?”

He looks stunned, but there’s no recognition in his eyes— eerily similar to their first night so many years ago on the docks. The warmth of his gaze, the excitement at meeting once again, and the hint of infatuation Emma always stopped herself from hoping for are gone without a trace. The unsettled feeling that’s sat in Emma’s stomach since the moment she and Henry crossed the town line the night before seems to boil over. All the air feels as though it’s escaped her lungs, suffocating her as she realizes the only person she’s ever come close to calling her best friend has no idea who she is. Her fear is solidified when he speaks again, “I’m sorry, do I know you?”

@mariakov81 @lfh1226-linda @kmomof4 @superchocovian @pirateherokillian @teamhook @nikkiemms

#captain swan #killian jones #emma swan #cs ff #cs canon divergence #captain swan fanfiction #capthamm #bye capthamm #captcas

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marinamar4 · 3 years ago

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Emma Swan Wayne

an idea with all those batman and white collar crossover fics is to do the same but batman and once upon a time version

It would be the same, Emma being the sheriff, and some hero, vigilante or civilian appear, can you imagine?

emma swan wayne:

Jason's age, maybe a little older than Jason

they meet on the street shortly before they steal the tires of the batmobile and they get along like a house on fire (or would it be thick as thieves?)

two for one bat

emma turns swan into her middle name and it's crazy at home, to top it off, she manages to be the apple of her dad's eye

When Jason Starts As Robin Babs Decides To Let Him Batgirl

a little upset with dick ... but she puts it aside once they start with the embarrassing stories of bruce

selina is a woman, little emma needs a mom, and if she gives him jewelry on top of it she gives him better jewelry (tell me that selina didn't teach the batkids to use the catwoman whip, I dare you)

while jason was a bit violent robin, emma was a chaotic and cheating batgirl

personally i picture jay and emmy as platonic brothers and soul mates, not romantic

in an attempt to fit in at school, emma follows fashion trends, it doesn't go well ... and she ends up saying "fuck it" (language of the streets)

not impressed at all by the league. except wonder woman, obviously

she doesn't like magic so coming to storybrooke with henry she's more of a "can't you just leave me alone and call zatanna or constantine? wait, no, he's flirting with regina!" that a "magic does not exist", after all, there are aliens

now the sad part (needed to bring henry into the story)

the first strong fight of both (jay and emma) is when jason wants to look for his biological mother and emma does not understand

she is heartbroken when batman informs her of her brother's death

her to superman: fuck it, let my daddy kill the damn clown!

now the good part ... emma escapes and disappears, but before? she leaves a gift: the joker is dead

and she is afraid of what her dad will say, so she keeps to herself, she meets neal cassidy, jail, henry, adoption, etc

now, things may vary:

bruce in my world is a good dad and actively ignores the signs

(Emma: I left you a letter!

bruce: I have it in the top drawer of the nightstand and I read it every day before going to bed, but I don't remember that part)

Does Batman respect her decision and let her go? At least until Red Hood shows up and they bring her back into the family? Or does he just not want to let her go? Is Jason looking for her, in that case, does she know or not that she killed the joker? Or is she so good at erasing her tracks that she is only caught at 28-29?

I like the first one better, she gives him the time to meet neal and have henry and come back

i guess she's mad at jason for the whole hood thing and she quickly takes timmy, steph and cass under her wings

tim is so cute! is neglected. dick is right, he needs a lot of hugs. And don't you want to sleep a little more?

stephanie is totally chaotic. she's great. she makes the best waffles. she wait, you wanna throw a glitter bomb on batman? done deal!

cassandra is cassandra. She is wonderful. That she was raised as a murderer? It's not important

also i imagine emma and steph will be like sisters, always loud, troubled blondes, but who can be in meditative silence when needed

(one mother's day emma asks tim why steph looks like this. he tells her to ask him. steph says

I got pregnant, I gave her up for adoption, I didn't want her to have this life

mine was a boy, I didn't want this life for him either, says emma, and they have something else in common)

Besides, when she comes Damian, Emma is just ecstatic

I already believed things about your strength, b!

how adorable!

oh, we can practice! dad taught me and your mom too when she was here once! and no, b is my dad, learn to wear it

(yes, talia she too she is good here)

headcanons:

for a halloween, emma dressed up as wednesday, and disguised selina as morticia and bruce de gómez. jason flatly refused to be pugsley or fester and ended up being cousin itt

For a costume gala, they were from the aristocats: Selina in a white dress and diamond necklace as Duchess, Emma in a white dress and pink bows as Marie, Jason in a black suit and a red bow tie as Berlioz, even Dick in an orange suit with blue bow tie from toulouse, and bruce they put him in a black suit but with the white shirt and orange tie from o'malley

at a gala, they copied the famous dance of "dirty dancing"

emma didn't like the classics at all until jason told her about them. it was tradition that every night they read a little before going to bed

emma's batgirl costume is black and white, because the swans are mainly black and white (there was no way to put orange, but you can imagine it however you want, I just know it would be a nod to her middle name)

like i said emma swan wayne is her name

dick made her addicted to froot loops and jason to hotdogs but without chili plise, the grilled sandwiches are either hers or damian's when he goes vegetarian

Alfred always made her chocolate with canellas and the cinnamon sticks became her favorite for when they were at her time of the month

Most relationships like Emma Wayne, like her father's, were to show

She just wanted a parrot! Why couldn't she have a parrot or lovebird but damian she can have a zoo!

i imagine emma totally admiring selina and talia both, great women, one with a brassiere and a tight leather suit, and the other a swordswoman princess

Because this girl when she got to Wayne Manor had a princess season, then it was the rude warrior era, she followed the fencing and archery, makeup artist, model, actress, etc.

She never liked Annie, but she was her favorite movie after the adoption

She preferred fantasy and adventure books, but she also started with mystery, she likes Sherlock Holmes a lot (she was introduced to him by her father)

She doesn't believe in Duke's "innocence". The boy jumped off a bridge, led a gang and decided that he could beat the riddle in riddles. it's just as chaotic as the rest, it only hides it better

It was supposed to be short I swear, just the crossover idea, but I got carried away

also my computer decided to restart and I had to look at everything in the translator's history, luckily it is so specific

#batfamily #batfam #batman #robin #red hood #batgirl #bruce wayne #jason todd #emma swan #emma swan wayne #henry mills #regina mills #ouat #once upon a time #long #do what you want with this #crossover #white collar #???

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drdixon · 3 years ago

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an all women multi - muse blog directed by delilah ( she / her, 21+, lesbian )

guidelines. standard roleplay etiquette applies, don’t be weird - we’re all too old for that. please do not interact with me if you’re under the age of eighteen. mature content will be featured, but always tagged. my activity is slow and sporadic, plotted interactions are groovy. original characters are sexy and if you disagree this is not the blog for you 💋

alexandra udinov as seen in nikita. canon compliant. starring : lydnsy fonseca. cis woman, she/her. human. lesbian. main verse occupation: division agent.

bedelia du maurier as seen in hannibal. canon compliant. starring : gillian anderson. cis woman, she/her. human. bisexual. main verse occupation: psychiatrist.

brenda leigh johnson as seen the closer. canon divergent. starring : kyra sedgwick. cis woman, she/her. human. bisexual. main verse occupation: deputy chief of the lapd.

cat grant as seen in supergirl. canon compliant. starring : pending. cis woman, she/her. human. lesbian. main verse occupation: publicist.

celeste wright as seen in big little lies. canon divergent. starring : nicole kidman. cis woman, she/her. human. bisexual. main verse occupation: lawyer.

chris holloway an original fandomless character. starring : elizabeth mitchell. cis woman, she/her. human. lesbian. main verse occupation: detective.

cruella de vil as seen in 101 dalmatians. canon divergent. starring : sharon stone. cis woman, she/her. human. bisexual. main verse occupation: fashion designer.

dana scully as seen in the x-files. canon divergent. starring : gillian anderson. cis woman, she/her. human. bisexual. main verse occupation: fbi agent.

emma swan as seen in once upon a time. canon divergent. starring : stephanie march. cis woman, she/her. human. bisexual. main verse occupation: sheriff.

jane porter as seen in once upon a time. canon divergent. starring : angelina jolie. trans woman, she/her. human. pansexual. main verse occupation: principal.

jean rubenstone frost as seen in all rise. canon divergent. starring : brenda strong. cis woman, she/her. human. lesbian. main verse occupation: lawyer.

laura roslin as seen in battlestar galactica. canon divergent. starring : mary mcdonnell. cis woman, she/her. human. bisexual. main verse occupation: president of the colonies.

lisa tepes as seen in castlevania. canon divergent. starring : julie benz. cis woman, she/her. human. bisexual. main verse occupation: apothecary.

marisa coulter as seen in his dark materials. canon divergent. starring : ruth wilson. cis woman, she/her. human. bisexual. main verse occupation: head of the general oblation board and agent to the magisterium.

miss scarlett as seen in clue. canon divergent. starring : jessica chastain. cis woman, she/her. human. bisexual. main verse occupation: escort.

olivia benson as seen in law and order: svu. canon divergent. starring : mariska hargitay. cis woman, she/her. human. bisexual. main verse occupation: detective. (this will change as the mun catches up with series)

pamela swynford as seen in true blood. canon divergent. starring : kristin bauer. cis woman, she/her. vampire. lesbian. main verse occupation: fangtasia nightclub owner.

patrica campbell as seen in the southern book club’s guide to slaying vampires. canon compliant. starring : mary mcdonnell. cis woman, she/her. human. bisexual. main verse occupation: housewife.

pippa pentangle as seen in the worst witch. canon divergent. starring : amanda holden. cis woman, she/her. witch. lesbian. main verse occupation: headmistress.

sarah harding as seen in jurassic park. canon divergent. starring : julianne moore. cis woman, she/her. human. lesbian. main verse occupation: archeologist.

stella rockwell an original fandomless character. starring : brenda strong. cis woman, she/her. human. lesbian. main verse occupation: studio executive.

winter blackwood an original fandomless character. starring : gillian anderson. cis woman, she/her. human. lesbian. main verse occupation: model.

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exhaustedpirate · 3 years ago

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get to know me

i was tagged by the love of my actual life @thisonesatellite and i smooch !

three ships :

CaptainSwan (Killian Jones/Emma Swan) - because even after so many years, i can still find things to love about them

Peraltiago (Jake Peralta/Amy Santiago) - they are brilliant and sweet and just make me soft and their evolution is stellar

Mondler (Monica Geller/Chandler Bing) - despite the badly aged aspects of their relationship, I still consider them one of the healthiest couples from Friends (Phoebe and Mike being the other)

last song : London Boy - Taylor Swift (it's just a great feel good song)

last movie : Jungle Cruise - it was brilliant! (and i'm not afraid to say it fits CaptainSwan like a glove)

currently reading : CaptainSwan fanfiction - just finished binging @thisonesatellite's and now i'm binging all of @profdanglaisstuff's - my comfort writers

currently watching : while i'm waiting for all the Brooklyn Nine-Nine's episodes to come out, i've been watching all of American Dad's seasons

currently craving : some goddamn pastel de nata, they were talking about it at work and i miss it! also some of that good bread! (all treats from home so i might just be homesick)

tagging : everyone i know and care about have all been tagged so i leave this open for anyone to join ! keep on being excellent !

#tag game #ask game

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ohmightydevviepuu · 4 years ago

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writer’s month prompts

prompt nineteen: de-ageing (canon compliant 7x02. thanks to @katie-dub and @profdanglaisstuff for walking through this one with me.)

masterpost full collection on AO3

It’s still early--barely daylight--but Emma knows he’s up, because he’s always up just with the sunrise. He’s watching her, she can feel it, and so she rolls over to face him and his blue eyes and his soft morning smile, the only that only she ever gets to see.

There are wrinkles at the corners of his eyes when he smiles and for the first time Emma notices they’ve gotten deeper.

It’s weird.

He does still--in his own words--”retain his youthful glow”--but he has laugh lines now and crinkles in his forehead. So does she.

But it’s still weird, it was weird, to see him like that, to see him with straggly grey hair and too much weird on his middle and she’d been able to push it out of her mind completely--just an anomaly, just the magic, just the other realm--until she’d seen him again. Hook--the other Hook--had been different. He still carried the weight of his years even when they hadn’t been obvious from his appearance and she hadn’t even noticed.

“What are you thinking, love?” Killian asks, running his hand down her arm and resting his fingers at her wrist.

“Was it strange for you? To see yourself like that?”

“Honestly, Swan, it was a relief.”

“A relief?”

“He thought that he could never find love,” Killian says, “but he was wrong. He made a lot of mistakes. He’ll make many more. But he chose to try and be a better man for his daughter and in making that choice he opened himself to love.”

They’re both silent for a moment.

“I think he’ll see that through,” Killian says. “I think we made the right choice in leaving him with the lad. He’ll take it seriously. And Henry will help him find the girl, just as you said.”

“I wonder why my magic responded to him,” Emma says.

“I believe that’s why, love,” Killian says, moving her hand toward his lips. “We still had that in common, in spite of where our paths had diverged.”

“What’s that?”

“The choice,” Killian says. “The choice to be a part of something.” He kisses her hand and turns it over, pressing kisses into her palm.

“That’s sweet,” Emma says. “It’s also not what I meant when I asked you if it was weird to see yourself like that.”

“Older, you mean?” He smiles. “But still devilishly handsome, of course.”

“Of course,” she says, but her smile fades, just a bit because--in spite of everything they’ve been through--it’s really only just occurring to her, that in making his choice to be a part of something or whatever, he gave up more than his revenge. He’s going to age, now. He’s voluntarily chosen to bring his life to an end, in a way.

“I never intended to live as long as I have,” he says, reading her the way he always does. “I never sought out immortality. My time games with Neverland were just that--games. A stopgap measure. I anticipated my end would shortly follow the crocodile’s. And look, love, look at what immortality has brought him. Look at the choices he’s made for himself because he believes he has forever.”

He’s quiet for a minute after that and when he speaks again his voice is different; lower, softer. Serious.

“Look at the choices we made, when faced with it.”

She pulls his hand in hers against her heart.

“However long we have, whether it be long or short, knowing it will end gives it meaning. Being here with you, being a part of Henry’s life, raising our child, growing old surrounded by love instead of hate--knowing that we’ve fought for our happy ending, that’s what makes the rest of it count. That is what we chose, in that cave and on that elevator, when you chose me and I chose you.”

@thisonesatellite @optomisticgirl @shireness-says @spartanguard @captain-emmajones @karl0ta @kmomof4 @carpedzem @mariakov81 @lfh1226-linda

#cs fic #writersmonth2020

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lilacmoon83 · 7 years ago

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Perfectly Charmings

I kind of took a break from this story, but I hope to get back to it, so if you have a prompt, please send them in! And enjoy this new addition.

Perfectly Charmings

Moments

Moments. That's what he had once told Emma that it was all about. Moments.

After the curse broke, modern technology wasn't something David gave a lot of thought. Once he had been given false curse memories, the vague knowledge of how this world worked came with that. He didn't really give driving or using a cell phone a second thought. It was like muscle memory. For Snow too, as she had awoke in this world as Mary Margaret Blanchard and all the knowledge needed to function in this land.

Despite the fact that there were some things he missed about their land, that they both missed, they had come to enjoy the conveniences of this world.

Technology especially. Information at your fingertips, instant communication with the people you loved, and modern medicine. Raising two kids made them very grateful for modern medicine, especially. One sick baby was frightening enough, but two had been the scariest thing he was sure they had ever faced. But with easily and readily available medicine, that scary night where both Emma and Neal were running fevers turned out just fine with a bit of over the counter baby fever reducer.

They had both expressed relief and joy that they were on this journey together. And with Storybrooke now a quiet town mostly, they were discovering those joys of raising a family together.

One joy they had discovered was the digital camera. For their first anniversary after the final battle, Regina and Henry had gotten them a digital camera with a photo printer, insisting that they throw the Polaroid in the trash. And it had been the best thing they had done. They soon had albums full of family photos. Snow was content to document every single moment of their babies lives, as was he. And when he stopped to think about it, he marveled at the innovation. He was sure there was no better way to document their lives, until he discovered the camcorder.

"And here we have the two most beautiful babies ever," David said, as he zoomed in on Emma and Neal, who were playing with a few toys in the middle of the living room. He panned up and focused on his wife then, who was watching them from the kitchen.

"And then there is the most beautiful woman ever," he said, as he focused on her. She gave him a look and shied away.

"Charming, no I look awful...I don't even have makeup on," she complained.

"You could never look awful, my darling. You're as beautiful as they day I met you and you always will be," he promised. As always, she felt like melting at him words and smiled at him.

"I hit you with a rock the first time we met," she reminded.

"Still the best thing that's ever happened to me, right up there with marrying you twice and the days our children were born. And then the day we got our second chance with Emma," he said, as she smiled fondly and glanced to their babies again.

"Charming…" she whispered, motioning to the living room. He panned back with the camera and they saw that Neal had pulled himself up onto his legs, while holding onto the sofa.

"That's it buddy…" he encouraged. Snow knelt down.

"That's it baby...come to Mommy," Snow called. He grinned and started to clumsily walk toward her and Snow caught him in her arms.

"Oh baby...you did so good," Snow said, with tears in her eyes.

"Did you get that?" she asked hopefully. He smiled back.

"Yeah, I got it," he confirmed, as Emma babbled up at him.

"Hey Princess...are you going to walk today too?" he cooed. Emma crawled over to the sofa and pulled herself up onto her legs. They waited with bated breath, but she wobbled and fell back onto her diapered rear. She let out a shriek of frustration and he chuckled.

"You'll get it, princess. Neal just has a few months on you," he promised, as he turned off the camera for the day.

As their lives progressed, David continued to document their lives on film. Every school event, every school program, from Neal's days in little league to Emma's in track and field. To the school programs where Emma played a tooth in the Kindergarten rendition of proper dental hygiene. And the program where Neal played a head of broccoli in the first grade play displaying proper nutrition.

As they got older, David's penchant with the camera annoyed his children a bit, but they would always look upon the memories fondly. And it had become a favorite pastime of him and Snow to curl up together in the evening and occasionally watch one of the videos they had of their babies at various stages. He had never imagined they could document their children's lives like this and so when little Ruth Eva came along, he continued that tradition with her

And then their surprise twins two years later, Aiden Robert and Carina Rose, they documented every moment of their lives as well. Despite the fact the twins had been born in their forties and Snow being worried about complications, the twins were born healthy and happy.

It had always been David's dream to have a large family and they had thought for a while that such a chance was lost to them. But they had gotten everything they wanted and would never take it for granted. And just as they had documented every moment of Emma and Neal's lives and would continue to do so, they would do the same for their newest arrivals. It didn't matter how crazy things got in a house with two preteens and three toddlers, and several pets, Snow and David wouldn't change any of it for the world.

Snow sided up to him, as he filmed their little ones playing in the yard with their older children and she put her arms around his waist. He smiled down at her and pecked her on the lips.

"They're growing so fast…" she mentioned.

"I know...I know it's good that time is moving again, but I wish it would slow down just a bit," he mentioned in return. They knew it wouldn't and someday, they would be empty nesters. But with five children, there wasn't doubt that they would eventually have a house full of grandchildren someday. And they would enjoy every moment from now until then and beyond. Moments...that's what it was all about, after all...

#Charming family #Snowing #de-aged Emma Swan #lots of baby Charmings #Charming family feels #Daddy Charming #mama Snow

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kissofthemuses · 4 years ago

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Muses

Myths/Folklore:

Circe // Greek Mythology

Hera // Greek Mythology

Mab // Fae Folklore

Morgan le Fay // Arthurian Legend

Nemesis // Greek Mythology

Sigyn // Norse Mythology

The Morrigan // Celtic Mythology

Literature:

Aelin Galathynius // Throne of Glass

Athenodora // Twilight

Becky Sharp // Vanity Fair

Bree Tanner // Twilight

Didyme // Twilight

Elena Bourreanu // The Vine Witch

Emilia Di Carlo // Kingdom of the Wicked

Evie O'Neil // The Diviners

Fluer Delacour // Harry Potter

Georgiana Darcy // Pride and Prejudice

Granuaile MacTiernan // The Iron Druid Chronicles

Hannah Abbott // Harry Potter

Jade Godfrey // The Dowser Series

Leila // The Savior’s series

Lucy Pevensie // The Chronicles of Narnia

Lysandra Ennar // Throne of Glasss

Maggie Dresden // The Dresden Files

Manon Blackbeak // Throne of Glass

Marlene McKinnon // Harry Potter

Morgan Rowlands // The Sweep series

Sally Jackson // Percy Jackson

Sellene Whitethorn // Throne of Glass

Sulpicia // Twilight

Susan Pevensie // The Chronicles of Narnia

Vassa // A Court of Thorns and Roses

Viviane // A Court of Thorns and Roses

TV:

Abigail Pershing // Good Witch

Amalia True // The Nevers

The Black Fairy // Once Upon A Time

Bo Dennis // Lost Girl

Cara Mason // Legend of the Seeker

Cassie Nightengale // Good Witch

Cora Hale // Teen Wolf

Coraline Duvall // Moonlight

Dutch // Killjoys

Eleanor Henstridge // The Royals

Elizabeth Bonny // Syfy's Neverland

Emily Lightman // Lie to Me

Emily Radcliff // The Gates

Emma Swan // Once Upon a Time

Eretria // The Shannara Chronicles

Fern Harrow // Harrow

Grace Russell // Good Witch

Grace/Paige // Once Upon A Time

Ivy Lynn // SMASH

Jenny // Doctor Who

Jenny Hoyt // Big Sky

Kahlan Amnell // Legend of the Seeker

"Lady" Heather Kesler // CSI

Lily Page // Once Upon a Time

“Long” Susan Hart // Ripper Street

Lucy Saxon // Doctor Who

Mary Sibley // Salem

Melinda Halliwell // Charmed

Melissa McCall // Teen Wolf

Molly Dawes/Iona Payne // Forever

Parker Halliwell // Charmed

The Rani // Doctor Who

Regina Mills // Once Upon a Time

Rikki Chadwick // H2O: Just Add Water

Ruby Sunday // Doctor Who

Talon // The Outpost

Tamsin // Lost Girl

Tourmaline Larou // Carnival Row

Movies:

Adaline Bowman // Age of Adaline

Ali Rose // Burlesque

Anna Valerious // Van Helsing

Antonia Owens // Practical Magic

Ava Faulkner // Ava

Doric // D&D: Honor Among Thieves (wiki link is temporary)

Edith Cushing // Crimson Peak

Elisabeth Brisby // The Secret of NIHM

Eowyn // The Lord of the Rings (movie based)

Gabriella O'Hara // Across the Spiderverse

Lucy Billington // The Invitation

Mace Browne // The 355

Odette // The Swan Princess

Sally Owens // Practical Magic

Sarah Bailey // The Craft

Star // The Lost Boys

Viktoria Clopstok // The Invitation

Disney:

Lady // Lady and the Tramp

Maleficent // Sleeping Beauty/various Disney projects

Merida // Brave/Once Upon a Time

Miss Kitty Mouse // The Great Mouse Detective

Redd // Pirates of the Caribbean

Anime:

Blue // Wolf's Rain

Kisa Sohma // Fruits Basket

Rin Sohma // Fruits Basket

Tohru Honda // Fruits Basket

TTRPG:

Annabelle // L.A. by Night

Cassandra De Rolo // Critical Role (C1)

Clarabelle Clay // Critical Role (C2)

Laudna // Critical Role (C3)

Leona de Rolo // Critical Role

Vex'ahlia // Critical Role (C1)

Video Games:

Alfira // Baldur's Gate 3

Black Cat (Clone) // Spider-Man: The Edge of Time

Lohse // Divinity Original Sin 2

North // Detroit: Become Human

Saga // Dreamfall Chapters

Misc:

Amora // Marvel

Shara Bey // Star Wars

Veronica Franco // Historical

Seasonal*

*Muse for them usually strikes during seasonal Holidays but can be requested any time

Gwen Conliffe // The Wolfman (2010)

The Snow Queen // The Snow Queen

Original Characters:

Arabella Hawthorne // fandomless vampire

Arduinna Elvrye // D&D/fandomless Eladrin Elf

Byrony Lightfoot // LotR based hobbit

Cameron Galloway // Percy Jackson (daughter of Eris)

Evalin Galathynius // Throne of Glass

Fallon Voragran // D&D/Fandomless Elf

Freya Buchanan // Fandomless

Genevieve O’Connell // The Mummy (1999)

Haruko Masudea // Fandomless Kitsune

Ianthe Moore // Fandomless Pirate

Isarria // Critical Role based Tabaxi

Ismae Delancey // Greek Mythology/Percy Jackson (adopted daughter of Hera)

Iûlwen // LotR based elf

Kato McBane // Percy Jackson

Moira Cauldwyn // Fandomless Witch

Nell Warren // Percy Jackson (child of Dionysus)

Persephone Turner // Charmed

Roselyn Thorn // Stardust

Sabine Thornheart // Carnival Row

Sienna // Fandomless Mermaid

Skyla Malone // Fandomless Changeling

Sofira Emberdane // The Chronicles of Narnia

Vivian // Detroit: Become Human based Android

#{ muses }#long post

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rumdrum91 · 4 years ago

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Ever After: Prologue and Chapter 1

@captainswanmoviemarathon

check out @allons-y-to-hogwarts-713 beautiful art work!! We collaborated, and she’s an incredible human : https://allons-y-to-hogwarts-713.tumblr.com/post/628147236387356672/captain-swan-movie-marathon-ever-after-a

My contribution to the event. No obligation to leave comments or kind words, but just know if you do, I will bake you virtual cookies and give you a puppy named Lloyd.

_______________________PROLOGUE________________________________

“My little swan,” he liked to call her. Like in the story. The ugly duckling was clumsy and gangly and loud—

“A nuisance!” Emma would interrupt delightedly. “Like me!”

Yes, a nuisance like her. The other ducklings would swim in their straight lines and let out respectable quacks to greet the bullfrogs and the dragonflies. But the ugly duckling could only squawk, flapping his gray, mottled wings frantically as he tried to catch up.

The others did not look back, not even once. They didn’t like the ugly duckling. They hid their heads in their wings, and pretended not to hear him.

Time went by and soon enough, the ducklings were no longer ducklings. They had grown over the long winter and returned from the south with long, silver feathers. They chattered and quacked excitedly, examining each other’s beauty and reveling in their own. But all that was forgotten when the most beautiful creature of all came into their mist. He was white as snow, with silky feathers and a long, graceful neck. He shone like a star come to rest on earth, and when he glided on the lake, the water around him seemed to sparkle in reverence.

Who was this mysterious creature, the ducks wondered? What was he? For he certainly wasn’t anyone they recognized.

“I know who he was!” Emma would sit upright, her eyes alight with excitement. “He was the ugly duckling!”

David would laugh, the warmth in his eyes glowing as he gently nudged his daughter back to her pillow. “This story is meant to help you fall asleep, little swan.”

“Tell me who the creature was,” Emma would insist. “This is my favorite part.”

The beautiful creature was someone they did not recognize, but they did know. He was their younger brother returned to them: the ugly duckling. Ah, but he was not a duckling after all, but a swan. A magnificent, beautiful swan.

“And that, sweet girl,” David would say softly, tucking her hair behind her ear, “is why I call you my little swan. Scraped knees and messy braids may be all that people see, but one day, they will look at you and realize that you are the most beautiful one of all.”

* * * * * * *

The day her new stepmother and -sisters arrived, Emma did not feel like a beautiful swan. She felt exactly what she was: a messy, muddy, graceless little girl, with too many freckles and not enough teeth. Lady Regina was dark and elegant, with full red lips that curled into a smile as Emma tried to curtsy before her.

“Lady Mother,” she said awkwardly, wincing as she bent her scabbed knees. The words felt strange in her mouth: Emma had never had someone to call “Mother” before. She hoped it would feel more natural as time went on.

“Girls,” Regina said, her voice smooth and lofty, “say hello to your new stepsister.”

Emma tried not stare at them, for they were almost more beautiful than their mother—as though they had skipped being ugly ducklings, and were swans from birth. Ruby was tall and willowy, and Belle was small and doll-like; both of them with long dark hair and piercing eyes. Their gowns were of the finest silk, studded with gold thread and tiny jewels in the bodice. The girls regarded Emma skeptically as they dipped into immaculate curtsies. Belle rose with a shy smile, but Ruby remained supercilious, glancing away in a show of derisive boredom.

“What do we say, Emma?” David asked, giving her a soft nudge to remind her of what they’d practiced the night before.

“Pleased to meet you.” She bobbed another curtsy, as wobbly and graceless as the first. On impulse, she added breathlessly, “I’ve always wanted sisters.”

“How sweet.” Smiling, Regina took David’s proffered arm, so he could escort her up the stone steps to the manor. Ruby waited until they were out of earshot, then turned back to Emma, her eyes cold.

“We’re not sisters,” she said flatly. “This has nothing to do with us. My mother married your father for his title, and he married her for her money.”

Emma’s cheeks burned at the implication that her father would ever marry for money. He was an honorable, good man. He would never do something so callous and cold. She clenched her fists, but said nothing.

“Come along, Belle,” Ruby said, still eyeing Emma with cold disdain. “Mother will be waiting.”

Belle obediently followed her sister up the steps, sparing Emma a sympathetic look as she passed. Clearly the kinder of the two, but too meek to stand up to her sister. The door closed behind them, as if emphasizing the separation with the the loud thunk! of the oak door.

* * * * * * *

“Which one shall we read tonight?”

Emma watched as her father, perched in his usual place at the end of her bed, thumbed through the book of fairy tales. “The ash princess,” she said after a minute. “With the fairy godmother.”

“Ag,” David smiled, nodding as he found the page. “One of my favorites.”

“Mine, too.” Emma played with the frayed end of her braid. “Father?”

“Mmm?”

“Can I come with you this time?”

He looked up slowly, his gaze way and exhausted. “Emma,” he began.

“I want to meet the king,” she pleaded. “Please, Father?”

“There’d be no one to look after you,” he said, shaking his head. “I’ll be at council meetings all day. And besides—wouldn’t you miss your stepmother and stepsisters?”

Emma was silent. She didn’t want to tell him that they were the reason why she wanted to go so badly.

“I’ll be back before you know it,” David promised. “Just two weeks.”

“But you just got back.” Emma folded her arms, stubbornly pushing out her chin. “One.”

“Two weeks, little swan.” David looked down in amused exasperation as Emma balanced her fist on her palm, silently challenging him to rock-paper-scissors. After a minute, he gave in: each shook their fist three times and opened their fingers, David’s in a “scissors” and Emma’s in a “rock”.

“All right, all right,” David laughed as Emma triumphantly bounced her fist over his fingers. “One.”

* * * * * * *

They stood in a line on the cobblestone path, watching as David checked the horses and secured their harnesses. Marco, the old groomsman, wrestled with a particularly unruly black devil called, “Lucius.” The horse jerked his head back, fighting the bit being forced between his teeth.

“Cazzo Madre de Dio,” Marco swore under his breath.

“Non davanti ai bambini, Marco,” David warned. Marco’s English was limited, and Emma’s Italian nonexistent; but she imagined that Ruby and Belle were more than proficient in foreign languages.

“Must you leave me so soon, husband?” Regina sighed as David came around, placing her delicate fingers on on his chest.

“I’m afraid I must, my love.” David kissed her softly, once on her lips and again on each hand. Then he looked down at her girls, smiling. “Ruby, Belle…”

They dipped into their elegant curtsies. The formality seemed to amuse David, but he complied, offering them each a courtly bow before kissing the tops of their heads. Emma waited at the very end, tears welling in her eyes. Her father took her hands and lowered himself to one knee, his eyes warm and twinkling.

“You’ll look after your stepmother for me, won’t you, little swan?” he said.

Emma hesitated, then nodded slowly.

“And your stepsisters?”

“Yes, Father,” she mumbled, even as Ruby’s words echoed cruelly in her head. We’re not sisters.

“That’s my girl.” He kissed her forehead and rose to a stand. “I’ll be back before you know it.”

“One week,” Emma reminded him.

“One week,” he agreed.

She watched as he climbed the step of the carriage and pulled himself into the driver’s seat. Marco handed him the reins, nodding a farewell to his master as he backed away from the path. Emma clenched her fists, willing herself not to cry. Her throat ached and her vision blurred, but she refused to shed a single tear in front of Ruby.

David snapped the reins and the horses began trotting down the cobblestone, the carriage rattling after them. Emma almost ran after him, but she hung back, her eyes fixed on his dwindling form.

“Come along, girls,” Regina said, starting to turn toward the door with a sweep of her skirts.

“Wait!” Emma said. “He always waves at the gate.”

Regina flicked a dismissive smile, and continued her departure, her daughter trailing after her. Emma remained, watching intently as the carriage rounded the corner of the gate. David raised his hand in farewell—and then, something happened.

He fell.

The world seemed to spin, her nerves on fire, her heart shattering as she watched her father crumple. “FATHER!”

Her own screaming echoed in her ears as she pounded down the path, not breathing, eyes swimming, panic racing through her veins as she ran toward her father’s unmoving form. Get up, get up. Oh, God, please make him get up. Why wasn’t he moving? Why wasn’t he moving?

“Father, please!” she sobbed, falling to her knees beside him. He was still breathing, but his face was contorted in pain, one side scraped with blood and dust.

“David!” Regina’s cry broke through the air. Emma hadn’t even realized she was there, and barely registered it now. Her stepmother’s hands shook as she reached to cup David’s face. “Don’t try to move, my love. I’m here.”

David looked at her, then slowly turned his eyes toward Emma. She choked, the tears she had tried to hold back now streaming down her face as her father looked at her for what she knew was the last time.

“I love you,” he whispered.

And then, his eyes dulled and saw no more. The warm, twinkling eyes turned gray and glassy, staring unseeingly at the sky.

“No!” Regina cried, her voice rising in hysterics as Emma bent over her father’s body, sobbing uncontrollably. “You cannot leave me here! You cannot leave me here!”

But she wasn’t the one he was leaving: Emma was. He’d left her to the mercy of her stepmother and stepsisters, unknowingly sentencing her to a life of misery and servitude. Because over the next twelve years, Regina would blame Emma for David’s death; for the fact that he had given his last words to his daughter, rather than his wife.

When Regina assumed control of the household and finances, she’d decided that Emma was too much of an expense and put her to work, demanding that she earn her own keep. “I have to provide for my children first,” she’d said, reminding Emma as she so often did that she was now an orphan. “I can’t afford a third child on a widow’s living.” Her daughters remained in the highest fashion with the finest possessions, and Emma was given a small, dusty room with naught but a few books and a crumbling hearth to curl by in the winter. She’d had to snitch a few horse blankets to keep warm, and only the kindness of the old cook, Mrs. Lucas, kept her clothed and shoed. The younger housemaid, Astrid, had taught her what she needed to know to be a servant in a lady’s household, and Marco assumed a protective, grandfatherly role over Emma. Together, the four of them created a broken little family that slightly soothed the ache in Emma’s heart. Still, Regina and her daughters seemed intent on destroying every ounce of happiness in her life. Belle less so than the others, though she said nothing when Regina and Ruby directed cruel words and biting commands toward Emma. The few sources of comfort Emma had left were her father’s books and the chest in the attic that contained her mother’s remaining possessions: remnants of the loving family she’d once had.

___________________________CHAPTER 1_________________________________

It was a hard life, and she feared she would never escape it. And for twelve years, she was right. Until the day she met the horse thief, when one perfectly-aimed apple would end up changing her life forever.

She could taste autumn in the early morning air. It smelled of smoke and frost and changing leaves, filling her lungs and leaving a pleasant sting on her skin. Emma smiled to herself as she picked her way around the thick bundles of trees and brambles, guiding the pig as he hunted for truffles. Later in the week, she would sell them in the street market, along with whatever fruits and vegetables Astrid could get from the garden.

The pig snuffled loudly as he found his treasure. “Good boy,” Emma whispered, kneeling down to gather the truffles and put them in her basket. The dirt caked under her nails and her skin was scratched by wayward twigs, leaving thin red lines. She lifted her hands, examining them with a small sigh of regret. They were rough and scarred: so unlike the delicate smooth whiteness of a lady’s. Just another thing for Ruby to mock.

By the time she was heading back to the manor, the sun had started to rise and golden streaks shown through trees. Marco should have been in the stables, brushing down the horses, but ever since the silverware had gone missing…

Emma’s hands tightened on the basket as she thought of the false accusations Regina had cast against Marco: that he was a thief and a liar, taking advantage of a widow’s generosity. She remembered his desperate pleas as clung to the bars of the constable’s carriage, trembling as he begged in broken English for release. His bail had been set at twelve silver florins, and it would take a hundred street markets before she’d earned enough to set him free. Still she couldn’t abandon him to the brutal prison conditions: he would never survive them.

“Morning,” she said, entering the kitchen through the side door. Mrs. Lucas was already working dough for the morning bread, while Astrid churned butter. The ladies of the house would still be asleep at this hour, but the preparations for their basic comforts began at dawn.

“Any luck?” Astrid asked, wincing from the blisters on her hands. Emma shook the basket in response, half-smiling.

“That’s a good girl,” Mrs. Lucas nodded. “Those’ll fetch a good price. Now—give those hands a wash, and see if you can’t get some apples for her ladyship’s breakfast. Might make her a bit more, uh…”

“Human?” Emma suggested, rubbing the dirt from her hands in the wash basin. Regina had a certain fondness for apples, and the treat might soften the normal bite of her marks.

“Well, they’re apples, not magic beans,” Astrid observed wryly. Emma snorted and wiped her hands dry, reaching for a clean apron. After securing it around her waist, she pushed her hair behind her ears and balanced an empty bushel on her hip.

“Back soon,” she called over her shoulder, nudging the door open with her toe. The other women responded with vague farewells and promises of breakfast when she returned.

The grass was still damp with morning dew as she cut across the grounds to the small ring of apple trees. Red-gold globes hung heavily from the branches, the sweet and heady scent pervading the air. Emma set the bushel down and dropped to her knees, gathering the few apples that had already fallen.

They were scattered around the trees in a vague circle, so rather than moving the bushel around, she used her apron to hold them. She was just reaching for one that had fallen a bit further than the others when she heard a familiar, high-pitched neigh resounding through the air. Emma frowned and whipped around, recognizing the powerful black horse kicking up on its rear legs as a cloaked figure on his back pulled at the reins.

Lucious.

Her father’s finest horse, his fierce and fiery black devil—and some common thief was trying to take him?

“Oh, no, you don’t,” she muttered, getting up and running toward him. The apples tumbled from her apron— all but one. In her hand, it became a weapon: one that she hurled with deadly accuracy at the thief, hitting him squarely in the head.

“Bloody hell!” he exclaimed, tumbling from the horse and landing painfully on the ground. Lucius bolted, grateful for his freedom, but rather than going after him, Emma scrabbled for the fallen apples to launch at her enemy.

“Thief!” she spat furiously, pummeling his head—his shoulders—his chest with apples. “How dare you steal my father’s horse!”

“Stop!” he shouted, struggling to stand up, raising his arm to shield himself. “Madam, I command you to stop! By order of—”

“Of what?” Emma shot back. “Lord of the thieves, are you?”

“By order of the king!” The thief flung back his cloak in an indignant flurry that Emma might have laughed at, had she not recognized the shining golden crest the pinned the cloak to his shoulders. Terror struck in the pit of her stomach and she fell to her hands and knees, trembling.

“Forgive me, Your Highness, I did not see you!” she stammered, begging every saint in heaven that he—who she now realized was the prince—would have mercy.

He let out a wry chuckle, and Emma peeked through the curtain of blonde hair shielding her eyes to see that he was massaging his jaw, regarding her with a mixture of amusement and disdain.“Your aim, madam, would suggest otherwise.”

“I-I—” Emma swallowed, fear swelling in her throat so that her voice was a croak. “I thought you were a thief, my lord.”

“Indeed, I am.” There was the sound of leather scraping leather as the prince swung himself onto Lucious’s back. The horse trotted around her in a circle, and the prince spoke again, “Rest assured,” he said, the sounds of metal on metal clinking within the folds of his cloak, “I will return the beast to you, since you care for it so. And as an honorable thief, I shall compensate you for the misfortune.”

Then came the heavy sound of a bulging leather sack, dropping from his hand to the ground. Emma hardly dared to breathe, let alone look inside. Even so, she couldn’t helping looking up again, barely raising her head to glimpse the prince’s handsome face and tousled black hair. His eyes glinted, and she wondered if even through the dirty tangles of blonde hair obscuring her face, he could sense her gaze.

“My mercy exists on one condition,” he said, though his smirk seemed more amused than bitter this time.

“Y-yes, my Lord?”

He snapped the reins, and Lucious reared again. “Never let it be known that Prince Killian was nearly bested by a country maid with a bushel of apples!”

With that, Lucious took off, his hooves beating the ground heavily as he galloped away. Emma remained bowed and trembling, never daring to breathe until the sound of Lucious’s hooves had faded completely. Only then did she slowly straighten up, bones cracking, to stare at the bulging leather sack before her.

It was about the size of her fist, tied with a thick leather cord. Emma cradled it in her hands, feeling the hard metal edges of what couldn’t have been coins, because that would have been too generous a stroke of luck. Still, she managed to pull the cord, effectively opening the sack, and a small avalanche of golden florins spilled into her hands.

“Madre de Dio,” she whispered, marveling at the wealth before her. This would more than buy Marco’s freedom. Emma let out a laugh of disbelief before a flood of joyful tears came to her eyes, and she thanked God for the rich thief who’d just changed everything for the better.

#ever after au #captain swan #emma swan #killian jones

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